To Love a Lion
by Eye Greater Than Three
Summary: A collection all about Gryffindors and their relationships. Some are familial, some are friendship, and others are romantic.
1. Contents

**Summary:** A collection all about Gryffindors and their relationships. Some are familial, some are friendship, and others are romantic.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _Table of Contents_

001\. _So It Shall Be_ | Familial: Sirius Black and Narcissa Black

002\. _Time and Place_ | Romantic: Dean Thomas/Padma Patil

003\. _Perchance to Dream_ | Romantic: Oliver Wood/Hattie Potter | female!Harry Potter

004\. _You're Right_ | Friendship: Sirius Black and Lily Evans

005\. _Special Meaning_ | Romantic: Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood

006\. _Kiss the Girl_ | Romantic: Lavender Brown/Hermione Granger

007\. _With New Friends |_ Friendship: Roxanne Weasley, Fred Weasley II, and Elizabeth Black

008\. _Lucky Number Twenty_ | Romantic: Charlie Weasley/Harry Potter

009\. _These Moments_ | Friendship: Fred Weasley II, and Elizabeth Black

010\. _Family Matter_ | Romantic: Dominique Weasley/Sunny Longbottom

011\. _Rush of Emotions_ | Familial: Teddy Lupin, Andromeda Tonks, and the Potter family

012\. _A Letter to Her Sister_ | Familial: Molly "M.J." Weasley II and Lucy Weasley

013\. _Memories versus Feelings_ | Romantic: Neville Longbottom/Daphne Greengrass

014\. _Their Future Together_ | Romantic: Draco Malfoy/Ginny Weasley

015\. _Little Brother_ | Familial: Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and the Granger family

016\. _Betting Pool_ | Friendship: James Potter and Sirius Black

017\. _A Magical Moment_ | Romantic: Fay Dunbar/Lavender Brown

018. _Distance_ | Familial: Padma Patil and Parvati Patil

019\. _Deals_ | Friendship: Fay Dunbar and Sophie Roper

020\. _Discounts_ | Familial: Roxanne Weasley and James Sirius Potter

021\. _The Important Morning_ | Familial: James Potter, Fleamont Potter, and Euphemia Potter

022\. _Maybe I'm Amazed By You_ | Romantic: Charlie Weasley/Haleigh Potter | female!Harry Potter

023\. _Learning Curve_ | Romantic: Oliver Wood/Demelza Robins

024\. _Bright Smiles_ | Romantic: Dean Thomas/Pansy Parkinson

025\. _The Language of Flowers_ | Romantic: Hermione Granger/Daphne Greengrass

026\. _Courtship Rituals of the Wrackspurt_ | Romantic: Ginny Weasley/Luna Lovegood

027\. _Let It Snow_ | Romantic: Percy Weasley/Penelope Clearwater

028\. _The One_ | Romantic: James Potter/Regulus Black

029\. _The Good-Looking Friend_ | Romantic: Sirius Black/Marlene McKinnon

030\. _The Little Matchmaker_ | Romantic: Regulus Black/Lily Evans Potter

031\. _Decisions and Ideas_ | Romantic: Harry Potter/Luna Lovegood

032\. _Home_ | Romantic: James Potter/Hermione Granger

033\. _Make You Feel_ | Romantic: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy

034\. _Lost_ | Romantic: Harry Potter/Hermione Granger

035\. _Fascination_ | Romantic: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, and Tom Riddle/Harry Potter

036\. _Second Chance_ | Romantic: Ron Weasley/Lavender Brown

037\. _Desire_ | Romantic: Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley

038\. _Counting Stars_ | Romantic: Sirius Black/Marlene McKinnon

039\. _Changes_ | Romantic: Tom Riddle Senior/Holly Peverell-Slytherin | female!Harry Potter

040\. _Interest_ | Romantic: Bill Weasley/Hollis Potter | female!Harry Potter

041\. _A Sweet Place, Take Me Away_ | Romantic: Charlie Weasley/Holly Potter | female!Harry Potter

042\. _First Words_ | Romantic: Percy Weasley/Hedera Potter | female!Harry Potter

043\. _Secure_ | Romantic: George Weasley/Hilda Potter | female!Harry Potter

044\. _With Courage and Determination_ | Friendship: Fay Dunbar and Susan Bones

045\. _Of Friends and Plans_ | Friendship: Harry Potter and Fay Dunbar

046\. _Heart Unbroken_ | Romantic: Ginny Weasley/Fay Dunbar, Harry Potter/Nymphadora Tonks, and Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley (break up)

047\. _Bouquet of Flowers_ | Romantic: Neville Longbottom/Roslin Weasley | female!Ron Weasley

048\. _An Important Moment_ | Romantic: Ginny Weasley/Fay Dunbar

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Forty-eight out of 100.


	2. So, It Shall Be

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationships:** Familial – Narcissa Black and Sirius Black  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; Gryffindor!Narcissa Black; and original characters (Hazel Brown and Valeria Pierce)  
 **Prompt:** (AU) Different House

 **Summary:** In her first year, Narcissa Black was Sorted into Gryffindor.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _001\. So, It Shall Be_

"Black, Narcissa!" called Minerva McGonagall as she looked up from her list of new students, glancing over the group in question.

When her name was called, Narcissa Black squared her shoulders and she lifted her head up before walking forward. This was the first impression people would remember her by. She was determined to show fearlessness and elegance before her Sorting, unlike some of her year-mates had shown nerves and shakiness. Those actions weren't a good first impression.

As a daughter of the House of Black, Narcissa was held to high standards. She was the youngest of her sisters and she was the youngest female in her family. It was her duty to leave a flawless first impression before being Sorted into Slytherin. It was the best way to secure a good pure-blood marriage for her. Her parents had their sights set on either Lucius Malfoy or Sirius Black.

Unfortunately for her family, Narcissa disagreed with their plans. She wasn't going to be the Slytherin Ice Princess they expected her to be. Narcissa had decided she wouldn't be a Slytherin when Lucius Malfoy was Sorted there. She wasn't going to be in the same House as Malfoy and no one in the family could make her.

When she was seated on the stool, the Sorting Hat was lowered over her eyes, blocking her view of the Great Hall and the numerous students. Taking a deep breath, Narcissa forced herself to remain calm. She was nervous. She would be the first Black to break the tradition of being Sorted into Slytherin.

 _"Interesting, very interesting,"_ the voice of the Sorting Hat whispered in her ears. _"You're ambition is worthy of Slytherin."_

"Not Slytherin!" Narcissa demanded, her voice barely above a whisper. She didn't want to go to Slytherin, and she would be damned if she let this Hat force her there.

 _"I understand, child,"_ the Hat said, a chuckle in his voice. _"I'm just trying to decide where to put you. You won't do well in Hufflepuff, and you're not much of a Ravenclaw. That leaves Slytherin or Gryffindor."_

"A Gryffindor I shall be," Narcissa stated. She didn't have _much_ against Gryffindors, but they weren't the smartest of individuals. That would be changing as Narcissa joined them.

 _"So, it shall be GRYFFINDOR!"_ the Sorting Hat said, shouting the last word.

The hall filled with silence as Narcissa took the Hat off before passing it to a stunned Professor McGonagall. With her head held high, Narcissa stood up and she walked towards her new housemates. A few Gryffindors traded looks before a weak applause followed.

As Narcissa took her seat, her eyes drifted over to the Slytherin table, where her sisters were seated. Bellatrix had her eyes narrowed, glaring at her youngest sister, while Andromeda raised an eyebrow, studying Narcissa.

Turning, Narcissa found her cousin, Sirius Black, staring at her with wide eyes and his mouth open.

"Black, Sirius," Professor McGonagall called, pulling his attention.

With one last glance at Narcissa, Sirius turned forward. He shook his head, turning from Sirius to Heir Black as he walked up to the stool for his own Sorting.

A moment later, Sirius was joining Narcissa at the Gryffindor table with a sheepish grin.

"At least we're in this together," Sirius whispered as he sat down next to his cousin.

Narcissa smiled. "Promise to have my back?" she asked in a whisper.

"I swear," he nodded. "And you?"

"I will, I swear it," she promised.

The two shared a smile as they felt their magic bond.

"How much do you wanna bet I get the worst howler?" he asked with a grin.

"Only a fool would take that bet," Narcissa stated. "Aunt Walburga is something else."

They shared a laugh before they turned their attention to the Sorting. They followed the example of their housemates by clapping each time a new student was placed there.

 **...**

Unlike most of her family, Narcissa didn't have a problem with muggle-borns or muggle-raised students. She wasn't particularly fond of them because they lacked the basic understanding of their new society. They were ignorant of the culture and the traditions in their new world. It wasn't their fault. It was the government's fault, mostly that of Albus Dumbledore and his allies'. Instead of ignoring them and their questions, Narcissa offered explanation and books.

Narcissa received wide eye looks as she setup her area. Four candles were placed around her bed, on dresser, and her desk – blue towards the west, green to the north, yellow to the east, and red to the south. She placed a hairbrush under her pillow with another in the drawer of her bedside table with an assortment of hairpins and hair-ties.

"What are you doing?" asked Lily Evans, a pretty redheaded muggle-born with unique green eyes. Her hair was worn in loose waves.

"Performing a Blessing," answered Marlene McKinnon, a dark pair pure-blood with hazel eyes. Her dark hair was pulled back in a twisting bun.

"It purifies the space," added Hazel Brown, a blonde half-blood with blue eyes. Her blonde hair was cut short and pinned back with several clips.

Alice Monroe shook her head in disgust. "It's how she gets rid of the muggle germs," she said. She had dirty blonde hair that hung like straw, and she had plain brown eyes.

"No, it cleanse the space," Marlene stated, crossing her arms. "A Blessing clears away negative energy and any residual magic."

"You're no better than Black," Alice declared. "You're Dark, just like her."

Marlene pressed her lips together. "Blessings are Neutral magic," she said. "There's nothing Light or Dark about them. A Blessing is about sanctify and making the space your own.

Alice shook her head. "You're Dark, end of story," she declared. Without another word, she stormed over to her bed. She crawled onto the covers before closing the curtains.

Lily tilled her head to the side in thought. "I've never heard of a Blessing before," she said. "Is there a way I can learn more?"

"I-I have some books you can borrow," offered Valeria Pierce, a muggle-raised half-blood with black hair and dark eyes. Her hair was pinned on top of her head.

"Thanks," Lily said with a smile. "I'd love to learn more – about everything."

Valeria slowly returned Lily's smile before she pulled a few books out of her truck. "M-my grandmother had me read these," she explained. "S-she doesn't want me to embarrass the family."

"Which family?" Narcissa asked, curiously. There were a few traits the girl possessed that looked familiar – her eyes, her high cheekbones, and her her eyebrow ridge.

"P-Prince," she replied.

Narcissa nodded. That made this girl the daughter of either Eileen Prince or Aelia Prince.

 **...**

Out of her roommates, Narcissa found she lot along best with Marlene McKinnon and Hazel Brown. Both of them were related to prominent pure-blood families, though either of them among the Sacred Twenty-Eight Houses. The Brown family immigrated from Wales during the sixteenth century, and the McKinnon family immigrated from Scotland in the seventeenth century.

Both Marlene McKinnon and Hazel Brown acted as a young pure-blood woman was expected to. Marlene wore her dark hair pulled back and up, favoring a twist or a french braid, while Hazel Brown wore her short blonde pinned back. Their robes were neatly pressed and made from the finest mineral. When socializing, they were polite, rarely shunning anyone and they kept the conversations appropriate, staying away from bloodism and alike topics.

Naricssa was trying to get along with both Valeria Pierce and Lily Evans. While lacked the magical upbringing with the manners and customizes taught to them, they were both trying to adapt to the new world they found themselves in. Valeria had the books from her grandmother to assist both her and Lily, they lacked the experience.

The second morning, Lily asked where she could purchase a special hairbrush and she asked to borrow some hairpins and a hair-tie before needing help with a hairstyle. Narcissa was happy to give her the requested hair-ties and hairpins while Marlene took over styling Lily's hair.

All the while, Alice Monroe and her childhood friends, Margret Prewett and Evelyn Carson, looked on in disgust, ridiculing their actions. A few other muggle-borns watched in fascination, wanting to learn more.

 **...**

It wasn't until breakfast on the second morning a pair of owls delivered scarlet envelopes to the Gryffindor table: one for Sirius and one for Narcissa. They were seated next to each other when the owls landed.

Exchanging a look, Sirius and Narcissa reached out to the letters.

"Who wants to go first?" Narcissa asked her cousin with a small smile.

Sirius returned the smile. "Ladies first," he said.

With a shrug, Narcissa opened the envelope.

 _"How dare you!"_ the voice of Druella Black shouted. _"You've embarrassed me, your father, and your sisters! You're an embarrassment to the House of Black. A Black in Gryffindor. Your father has never been so ashamed."_

The letter ended by bursting into flames.

Narcissa turned to look at her cousin. "You're turn," she said. There wasn't much of a point in reacting in public. It would only serve to "embarrass" and "shame" her family more. Honestly, she didn't feel much about the howler. She knew it was coming the moment she decided to go somewhere else other than Slytherin.

Next to her, Sirius opened his letter.

 _"What is wrong with you, Sirius Orion Black!"_ shouted the voice of Walburga Black. _"You had one task – one! And you ruined it. You're supposed to be a Slytherin. Not a bloody Gryffindor! You're a screwup! Thank Merlin, we still have Regulus. He's a good son, unlike you!_

 _"Never before has there been a Gryffindor in the family – and now there's two. You've even corrupted your cousin down. My brother has a daughter in Gryffindor. Do you know what this has done to her marriage perspectives? You have ruined her future! Now no one is going to want a Gryffindor for a bride. You are a disgrace to this family!"_

Like the previous letter, this one bursted into flames when it ended.

"You're was worse in terms of volume," Narcissa stated, "but it wasn't worst in terms of words."

Sirius laughed. "Yes it was," he disagreed. "You're only an 'embarrassment' and a 'shame' to the family. I'm a 'screwup' and a 'disgrace', and I've 'corrupted' you thereby destroying your life."

"Fine, you win," she said with a fond smile.

They shared another smile before returning to their breakfast.

 **...**

Their time in Gryffindor was pleasant. It took awhile weeks for their housemates to adjust to the Black cousins. Narcissa befriended her roommates. Marlene quickly became her best friend. Over pranks and jokes, Sirius befriended a few of his own roommates. He was closest to James Potter and Remus Lupin.

Sirius played a huge role in her survival. They spent the winter holidays locked up in Gryffindor Tower together. They spent nights in front of the fire, doing their homework together and drinking hot chocolate. On Christmas morning, they exchanged gifts before heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast with the other remaining students and staff.

Due to her friendship with Marlene, Narcissa was had an enjoyable first year. The hardest part of being a Gryffindor was being cut-off from her family. Narcissa was close to her sisters, and she was her father's favorite daughter. Overnight, she went from a member of the family to a parasite. Thanks to the generosity of Marlene and her family, Narcissa had a place to go for the summer break when her parents refused to let her come home.

* * *

This was written in response to _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
Prompt: (AU) Different House

* * *

Words: ~2,000


	3. Time and Place

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Romantic – Dean Thomas/Padma Patil  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; het; Lavender Brown lives; mentions of gore; mentions of death and murder; mentions of dead bodies; and mentions of femslash  
 **Prompt:** (Ravenclaw Character) Padma Patil

 **Summary:** During the Battle of Hogwarts, Padma Patil found herself fighting side by side with Dean Thomas.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _002\. Time and Place_

During the Battle of Hogwarts, Padma Patil fell in love amongst the bloodshed and the death. At the beginning of the battle, she was working with her twin sister. They had sworn to remain by one another's side during the battle, but they were separated when Parvati Patil ran to aid her friend, Lavender Brown, against Fenrir Greyback, barely sparing a word to her twin sister.

In fact, Padma hadn't noticed until she pushed out of the way by a Killing Curse. As she laid on the ground, she caught sight of Parvati and Lavender fighting against the werewolf. While Padma couldn't fault her sister in aiding her best friend, she was bitter. Parvati left her exposed and vulnerable. If it hadn't been for Dean Thomas, Padma would have been killed.

"You alright?" Dean asked, glancing down at her.

"I'm good," Padma replied in a daze, "thanks to you."

Dean smiled. "Someone has to look after you, Padma," he said as he stood up. Once he was standing, he offered Padma his hand.

Taking hold of his hand, Padma was pulled to her feet and she felt a rush of emotions. "You know who I am?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Of course," Dean answered, firing a hex at a nearby Death Eater.

Following his actions, Padma resumed her spell casting.

"I've got your back," Dean promised, his breath warm against her ear.

Padma fought the urge to shiver. This was not the time or the place. She had to save these emotional reactions for later, after the battle ended.

The pair continued to fight back to back for the remainder of the battle. Dean was never more than an arm length away, though he preferred to fight at Padma's side, facing in the other direction. As the battle raged on, Padma was filled with a surge of energy. She couldn't give up. Dean was counting on her.

Between duels and spells, they shared a few words. Padma didn't know that much about Dean. Everything she knew was limited to what she had observed in class, and what her sister shared. She knew he was a Gryffindor and he was in her year. His best subject was Charms, and he hated using a quill. Last year, he briefly dated Ginny Weasley. According to her twin sister, Dean was an artist.

When the fighting died down, Padma remained by Dean's side instead trying to find her sister. While she wanted to find Parvati, Padma wasn't willing to leave her new partner exposed. Dean didn't deserve that. They were a team, and they had one another's back – which was something Parvati hadn't understood.

She remained by Dean's side as she looked over the dead bodies in the Great Hall. She saw a few classmates, including her roommate Su Li and Remus Lupin, the defense professor from her third year.

Padma forced herself to remain by Dean when the Dark Lord boasted about the death of Harry Potter and Hagrid presented the body. Reaching out, she took ahold of Dean's hand as she refused to give into the hopelessness that threatened to overwhelm her. She couldn't allow Harry's death to be in vain.

Dean gripped her hand back as they watched Neville Longbottom pull the Sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat and used the Sword to kill Nagini, the Dark Lord's snake. That move inspired the crowd of people to keep fighting.

As Padma fought with a renewed sense of purpose, she continued to guard Dean's back, just as he had hers. While she was fighting, she saw Dean freeze as he stared at something. When she turned to look, Padma knocked Dean out of the way of a curse.

"It's Harry!" Dean exclaimed, looking at Padma with wide eyes. "I _saw_ Harry. He's alive!"

Padma's eyes widened. She wanted to dispute that claim with Dean, but this was Harry Potter. He had survived the Killing Curse as a baby, and it made sense he could do it again.

Instead of talking about Harry's survival, the pair got up and they resumed fighting. They could have this discussion later, when the battle was over. Padma refused to consider the possibility they wouldn't win. The fight continued until Harry triumphed over the Dark Lord.

"We did it!" Padma told Dean as she leaned against him, suddenly feeling drained.

"We did," Dean agreed before pulling Padma into a kiss.

Despite feeling tired, Padma returned the kiss. This was her first kiss, and it was perfect.

When they felt the Great Hall, Padma hold Dean towards the Room of Requirements, determined to get some sleep. As they walked along the corridor, they were intercepted by robin.

 _"I'm waiting in Gryffindor Tower,"_ Parvati voice came from the robin. _"Come find me."_

Padma scowled at the robin as it disappeared. She wanted to reunite with her twin sister, but she was mad at her. Parvati's actions had felt her exposed, and if it wasn't for Dean then she might be dead.

"Come on," Dean whispered, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "There are beds in there."

Unwilling to fight him, Padma allowed Dean to led them to the Gryffindor Tower.

In the common room, Padma found her sister entangled with Lavender on a couch in front of the fireplace. The pair was sound asleep. Padma stared at them for a minute she headed to the staircase.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked, turning back to look at Dean.

"Yeah," he agreed, sprinting up to follow her.

Together, they headed into the seventh year boys' dorm. That was the first night Dean and Padma shared a bed. They were both too tired to do anything but sleep.

* * *

This was written in response to _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
Blue, Prompt 2: Write about any Ravenclaw.

* * *

Words: ~1,000


	4. Perchance to Dream

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Romantic – Oliver Wood/Hattie Potter  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; female!Harry Potter (Hattie); and het

 **Summary:** When he was fifteen, Oliver Wood fell in love. She was quick and tiny, and she was graceful in the air. It didn't matter that she was Harriette Potter because all he saw was Hattie. Oliver/Hattie.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _003\. Perchance to Dream_

The first time they met, Oliver Wood was dismissed from Defense Against the Dark Arts by Professor Quirrell to meet with Professor McGonagall. Out in the hallway, he found his Head of House waiting with small first year girl fresh from her Flying class, complete with a school issued broomstick in hand.

"Wood, I've found you a Seeker!" declared Professor McGonagall with a grin. She motioned to the first year.

The first year, a girl with long and messy dark hair and glasses, looked confused as she glanced between the professor and the older student.

As Oliver watched the first year, he was interested in what Professor McGonagall saw in her. With her build and stature, she was the first size to be a fast Seeker.

"Well, come on," Oliver said, motioning for the first year to follow him.

The girl had difficulty keeping up with his long strides, but she didn't complain.

"How long have you been playing Quidditch?" Oliver asked, glancing down at the girl. Hopefully her parents could spend her a broomstick because the ones from school sucked. She couldn't be able to catch the Snitch with that broom.

"I haven't," she muttered.

Oliver frowned. He didn't understand her answer. She hadn't _what_? "Come again?" he asked, trying to remain polite.

"I haven't played before," she answered.

While he didn't like her lack of experience, it couldn't be helped. Some parents were overprotective and they didn't allow their children to play Quidditch until they were attending Hogwarts. "How long have you been flying?" he asked.

"A day," the girl answered.

Oliver stopped, turning to stare at the first year girl in shock. "A day?" he repeated.

Biting her lip, the girl nodded as she grew nervous. Her grip on the school broomstick had tightened and she looking around, as if mapping an escape route.

"Why did McGonagall bring you to me?" he asked, crossing his arms. He knew Professor McGonagall had a reason because she loved Quidditch and she was the pleasure of winning the Inter-House Quidditch Tournament, stealing the Cup away from the Slytherins and Professor Snape.

"She caught me flying," the girl replied.

"During your Flying class?" Oliver was confused. Why would Professor McGonagall watch the first year class? Last he checked, they were _that_ desperate for a Seeker.

"I, it," the girl stuttered. "She saw me catching Neville's remembrall," she said meekly, holding up a small remembrall, "while Madam Hooch took him to the Hospital Wing."

"Was that your first time on a broom?" he asked, feeling overwhelmed.

The girl nodded.

Oliver stared at her for a moment, slowly processing everything she said. She had never flown before today and she probably only had the basic lesson before catching the remembrall.

"Let's go," Oliver muttered as he resumed their course to the Quidditch pitch. He needed to see this girl in action.

The rest of the walk to the Quidditch pitch was silent. When they arrived, Oliver instructed the girl to wait for him as he ducked into the Gryffindor locker room to retrieve his broom. Due to his rush, Oliver forgot his broom the night before.

With his broom in hand, Oliver rejoined the girl on the pitch.

"What's your name?" Oliver asked with a frown. He couldn't recall Professor McGonagall mentioning it.

"H-Hattie," the girl replied in a whisper.

"Well, c'mon, Hattie," Oliver said as he mounted his broom before kicking off the ground.

Hattie carefully studied his actions before she mounted the school broom. She kicked off of the ground, slowly ascending in the air.

"Fly a lap," Oliver ordered. He needed to see what he was working with in terms of form.

Biting her lip, Hattie leaped right on her broom. A few seconds later, she was steering left then going up and down.

All the while, Oliver watched her actions with a frown. She didn't look too promising. He watched as she worked on steering the broom for half a lap before she got the hang of steering. With a little effort, she completed the first lap before flying the first half again. Once she was done, she flew back over Oliver.

As she neared, Oliver saw the smile on her face and the excitement in her eyes. At least she liked flying.

"How'd I do?" she asked, excitement in her tone.

"Not bad," Oliver replied. It was painfully clear she lacked experience. He had a feeling this wouldn't be a good match, no matter what Professor McGonagall said.

"Do you think you could teach me?" she asked, looking sheepish.

"Didn't you learn anything from Madam Hooch?" Oliver asked. Did he look like the bloody Flying instructor? He was a Quiddith captain, not a teacher.

"She taught us how to a mount a broom," Hattie answered, her smile turning into a frown. "She had to take Neville to the Hospital Wing before she could teach us anymore."

Oliver found his eyes widening at the girl's story. All she learned was how to _mount a broom_ before Professor McGonagall caught her. "Pay attention," he ordered, deciding to give the girl a quick crash course. At the very least she needed to learn the safety procedures.

Hattie smiled and nodded.

The quick lesson turned into an afternoon spent on the Quidditch pitch. Hattie was eager to learn, and she soaked up everything Oliver told her. After an hour of listening, Hattie grew restless and she started steering her broom in circles as she listened.

"How do you need me to tryout?" Hattie asked.

Oliver glanced over at her. What did she need to tryout for?

"Aren't I supposed to tryout for Seeker?" she asked with a frown. "I thought that's why McGonagall brought me to you."

Since she wanted to tryout, Oliver wasn't going to argue with her. Technically, she was already on the team. "You need to catch the Snitch," Oliver answered with a frown. There was no way he was letting her try while she was riding a school broom. She needed to borrow someone else's.

Diving down to the ground, Oliver dismounted his broom before he headed into the Gryffindor locker room. While it was rude, he opened up all of the lockers, looking to see if anyone had left their broomstick behind. He found one in Katie Bell's locker. He glanced over her _Comet_ before deciding it would do. Next, he grabbed the set of practice balls that belonged to the team. With some difficulty, he hauled everything out of the locker room.

Out on the pitch, he found Hattie flying around. At the moment, she flying up and down, performing a series of dives. As he watched her, Oliver knew she would be an excellent choice.

"Hattie!" he called as she pulled out of a dive.

She glanced over before flying towards him. When she got close enough, she dismounted the school broom with a few stumbles.

"Here," he tossed his broom at her. He felt it was already irresponsible of him to take Katie's broom without her permission. It would be worse if he lent it to someone else.

Hattie took the broom, shooting a confused look as she placed the school broom aside.

"You'll need something faster," Oliver promised as he opened the ball case. He pulled the practice Snitch out before setting it a slower speed. With the Snitch in hand, Oliver took off into the air on Katie's broom.

Hattie followed behind him.

Once they were facing one another, Oliver released the Snitch.

With wide eyes, Hattie watched as it zoomed around the field. After it was released, Hattie was taking off on Oliver's broom to chase it.

Oliver waited, watching as Hattie flew up into the air to scan for the Snitch. Five minutes later, Hattie was speeding off in a dive. Growing a little bored, Oliver steered Katie's broom around the field. He watched as Hattie laughed and chased around the small golden ball.

A full thirty minutes after he released it, Hattie was triumphant in catching the Snitch and she returned it to Oliver with a wide smile.

"Very good, Hattie," Oliver said, finding himself breathless as he looked into her green eyes.

"When can I go again?" she asked, eagerness in her voice.

"I don't know," Oliver admitted as they returned to the ground.

Hattie frowned at the answer.

"You need to get a broom, first," he explained before she could say anything. "We'll talk to McGonagall."

Despite the frown, Hattie eagerly agreed. It was clear she wanted to fly. After putting everything away, Oliver escorted Hattie to the cupboard where Madam Hooch stored the school brooms before they headed to the Great Hall for dinner.

It wasn't until later than evening Oliver learned his new Seeker's full name. He dropped Professor McGonagall's office to inquire about a broom for Hattie.

"She takes after her father," Professor McGonagall boasted with a grin and a sparkle in her eyes.

"Who?" Oliver asked.

"Henrietta Potter, of course," the professor replied. "I can finally see something of her parents in the girl."

"Hattie?" Oliver asked, a little confused. He knew the Girl-Who-Lived was a Gryffindor, but he hadn't thought Henrietta Potter, the Girl-Who-Lived, and Hattie, his new Seeker, were the same perosn.

Professor McGonagall nodded, seemingly trapped in her own memories. "I thought she would be an outstanding student, like Lily, or a troublemaker, like James."

A few minutes later found Oliver walking back to the Gryffindor Tower, his head swirling as he tried to process the news his Seeker was Henrietta Potter. It was crazy!

 **...**

That night marked the first of many where Oliver found himself dreaming about Hattie – _his_ Seeker. This dream was innocent. Thanks to Hattie, Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup and they beat everyone, including a large victory against Slytherin. Over the next two years, the dreams remained innocent.

Everything changed the summer after Oliver graduated, when he ran into Hattie at the Quidditch World Cup. She was dressed in cut-off shorts with a tank top and a pair of sneakers with long hair pulled back in a french braid.

"Oliver!" she greeted before throwing her arms around him.

Oliver returned the hug, feeling awkward. He was checking her out! When she was younger, Oliver knew she was cute and adorable, but he didn't think she would grow up to be this beautiful. He knew she would only get better with age.

Holding her close, Oliver was overcome with a sense of longing. He _wanted_ Hattie.

As he released her, Oliver thought back to all the time they had spent together. As if taking a Bludger to the head, he realized he _cared_ about Hattie. Maybe he wasn't in love with her, but he easily could be. All he needed was time.

"Will you write me?" Oliver asked, his tone soft.

"Of course," Hattie promised before she ran off with her two friends, Granger and Ronald.

 **...**

Soon those innocent games about Quidditch turned into dreams about dating and marriage and sex and children with Hattie. From the first moment they met, there was something about Hattie that ensnared him – it pulled him and held him captive. Truthfully, Oliver didn't mind one bit. He loved the idea of loving in with Hattie and having a future together.

Unlike his brothers, Oliver could marry whomever he wanted. As the youngest of four sons, the duty and honor fell onto his brothers. Most of the time, Oliver was a little more than an afterthought. His brothers – Matthew, Alexander, and Walter – were expected to live up to the family legacy, carry on the family name, and so on.

It had bugged Oliver when he was younger, but it learned to embrace it. Being the youngest allowed him to playing Quidditch at Hogwarts, and it allowed him to pursue a career as a professional player. He wasn't expected to marry or have a family. As the youngest, Oliver had the freedom to marry Hattie and take the Potter name.

 **...**

That night, Oliver started to plan. He wanted Hattie, and he didn't want to share her. There was no easy to trick someone into loving another person – love potions aside, which Oliver wouldn't _dare_ touch. He needed to play like a Slytherin, instead of Gryffindor. He had to hang back and watch. Rushing in head first wasn't the answer.

Oliver knew about the Potter family from his Great-Aunt Augusta Longbottom. She attended school with Fleamont and Charlus Potter. She watched as they fell in love, hard and fast. Both Fleamont and Charlus went onto marry the women they loved – Fleamont to Euphemia Winters and Charlus to Dorea Black. Then, Augusta's own son, Frank, attended Hogwarts with James Potter. James fell in love with Lily, and he spent years pursuing her until she agreed to date him in their seventh year. According to Augusta, Potters fell in love once and they fell hard and fast.

While that seemed to work against Oliver's plans, he knew Hattie was guarded. It would take someone extraordinary to breakthrough her barriers and make her fall in love. Oliver was determined to be that person. His plan was simple. For the next four year, he would remain Hattie's friend. They would exchange letters, keeping in touch and keeping Oliver in her thoughts. Oliver would offer her honest and genuine advice – up and including dating and boys.

While he wanted to be close to Hattie, he didn't want to be too close. He wanted Hattie to think of him as a friend, not a brother. As a friend, Hattie would be open to romantic relationship. If he was like a brother, then things would be awkward – Hattie would be overwhelmed and weirded out, and Oliver would be heartbroken.

Oliver hoped Hattie would come to see him as an honest and loyal person – which he was – and after she graduated, Oliver wanted to ask her out.

* * *

This is a teaser for an upcoming fanfiction story, _Perchance to Dream_ which is a part of  If Wishes Were Upgrades Collection.

* * *

Words: ~2,400


	5. You're Right

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Friendship – Sirius Black and Lily Evans  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; het; original characters (Hazel Brown and Valeria Pierce); not Severus Snape friendly; and James Potter/Lily Evans endgame  
 **Prompt:** (Relationship) Unrequited love; and (Character) Sirius Black

 **Summary:** When Sirius Black met Lily Evans, his fate was sealed. Upon being placed in Gryffindor, Sirius befriended James Potter. In a matter of years, Sirius was forced to choice between the girl he loved and his best friend.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _004\. You're Right_

It was a sunny day in August on a visit to Diagon Alley when Sirius Black first met the love of life. She was short with pale skin, freckles, long red hair, and vibrant green eyes. She was standing a stool in Madam Malkin's, being fitted for her school robes.

Sirius stepped up onto a stool next to her. "Are you headed to Hogwarts as well?" he asked her.

The girl glanced over her shoulder, her green eyes carefully inspecting him, before she answered, "Yes. I'm the first witch in my family."

She was a muggle-born. If anyone in Sirius' family was around, he would be in trouble for socializing with her. "So, you didn't know about magic before your letter?" he asked. He wondered what that was like.

"No," she replied, shaking her head, "my best friend told me. He's a wizard, and his mum's a witch."

Sirius nodded. "I'm Sirius Black," he said with a smile.

"I'm Lily Evans," she smiled, showing her lovely white teeth.

At the sight of her smile, Sirius felt his heart skip a beat. It was breathtaking.

 **...**

Thoughts of Lily Evans and her breathtaking smile filled Sirius' dreams for the next few weeks. He was looking forward to reuniting with Lily either on the Hogwarts Express or at school. Sirius hoped they were in the same House, which filled Sirius' desires to be placed in a different House than Slytherin.

At the age of seven, Sirius had decided he didn't want to be Sorted into Slytherin when he realized how Slytherin was twisting his cousin, Bellatrix, into a horrible and nasty person. Sirius remembered when Bellatrix was fun and bright, and she would spend time playing with Sirius and Regulus. Slytherin was turning her into a cruel and selfish woman who was determined to succeed, no matter the cost of other people.

Since then, Sirius wasn't sure which of the remaining Houses would be the best fit for him. There was Ravenclaw for the intelligent and creativity. Then there was Hufflepuff for the hardworking and loyal. Finally, there was Gryffindor for the brave and daring. Out of the two remaining Houses, Sirius was pretty sure he would end up in either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.

On the first of September, Sirius followed Cygnus Black with their three daughters on the journey to King's Cross Station via the Floo Network. His parents, Orion and Walburga, were too busy to escort their eldest son to the Hogwarts Express. Sirius shared a quick hug with his little brother, Regulus, under the watchful eye of their house-elf, Kreacher, before pulling his trunk to the sitting room, where his uncle was waiting.

On Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, Sirius watched as parents shared a tearful farewell with their children, most filled with hugs and kisses. Meanwhile, he stood next to his uncle as the man lectured his daughters on their duties and responsibilities to the family. Bellatrix Black stood, nodding along with everything her father had to say while Andromeda Black had her arms crossed, rolling her eyes, and Narcissa Black listened with wide eyes, hanging off of her father's every word.

As Sirius tried to ignore his uncle, he looked around the platform, trying to catch sight of Lily's red hair and green eyes. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of the girl. He could barely wait to see her again.

"I will see you in December," Cygnus Black said as he nodded to his daughters and his nephew. He left without another word or a hug.

Resisting the urge to sigh, Sirius picked up his trunk as he headed towards the train. It was time to find a compartment. If he got luck, he could get one away from his cousins and the various pure-blood children.

A smirk bloomed across Sirius' face as he thought about his plans for Hogwarts. This would start off with a bang at his Sorting when the Sorting Hat placed him in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. He could hardly wait! After the Sorting, Sirius would befriend his various muggle-born and half-blood roommates, further driving his mother crazy. The very thought of Sirius socializing with "lesser" people would keep her up at night. From there, the possibilities were endless!

On the train, Sirius picked an empty compartment in the middle section. With some difficulty, he managed to load his trunk into the overhead storage bin. Due to the limited options, Sirius looked out of the window, looking in the crowd of people for a redheaded eleven year old girl with green eyes. Determined to find her, Sirius spent the next hour looking for any sign of Lily Evans on the platform.

When the train was pulling away from the platform, Sirius was forced make himself comfortable for the long journey to Hogwarts.

A few minutes into the journey, the door to his compartment opened. Sirius looked over, hoping to see Lily. Instead he found a short and fat boy, around his age, with mousy brown hair and watery blue eyes.

"C-can I sit here?" the boy asked, his voice quiet.

"If you want to," Sirius answered with a shrug. While it wasn't the company he wanted, someone was better than no one.

The boy offered Sirius a small smile before scrabbling into the compartment. He shot the door, and he took a seat across from Sirius. "I-I'm Peter Pettigrew," he whispered.

"Sirius Black," said Sirius with a half-smile.

 **...**

Sirius didn't catch sight of Lily until they were following the giant man down to the boats. He was forced to watch as Lily climbed into a boat with two other boys and another girl. He glared as he followed Peter to a different boat.

As the boats glided across the lake, Sirius tried to find Lily when he was distracted by the sight of the castle. It was amazing. Sirius stared at it with wide eyes, and he heard the other occupants of the boat gasp and whisper at the majestic sight. The rest of the trip across the lake, Sirius focused on the sight of Hogwarts, swearing to remember this moment – and that image – forever.

All too soon, the boats were docking and the giant man was leading the large group of first years inside of the castle until they met with a woman in emerald robes with a pointed witch's hat. Her dark hair was pulled back and styled in a tight bun, and she had green eyes.

"Thank you, Hagrid," the woman said with a nod. She spoke with a Scottish accent. Sirius recognized her as Professor McGonagall from his cousins' stories. In fact, she attended school with his father and several other relatives.

"Yer welcome, Minerva," the giant man said with a heavy accent that Sirius couldn't identify. He walked passed the woman.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, the Welcoming Feast will begin shortly," McGonagall began, her gaze sweeping over the group of first years. "Before the feast begins, you will all be Sorted into one of the four Houses – Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. While you are here, your House will be like your family.

"You will attend classes with your Housemate," she continued, "eat together, sleeping together, and you will time in your House common rooms. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphants will earn you points, and your infractions will lose you points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points will be awarded the House Cup."

She paused for a moment, staring at the group of students. "The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes," she stated. "I will return for you in a few minutes. I suggest you use this time to smarten and prepare yourselves." Turning, she left the group of first years in the small antechamber.

"H-how do you think they Sort us?" asked Peter, glancing around at the large group of students.

"I don't know," Sirius lied with a shrug. He knew about the Sorting Hat thanks to the countless stories handed down from generation to generation in his family. It was one of the luxuries of pure-blood families.

"My brother told me we had to fight a troll," boasted a boy with dark hair and blue eyes.

"H-how are supposed to fight a troll?" whimpered a girl with strawberry blonde pigtails and grey eyes. "We don't know any magic."

"Typic mudbloods," sneered a dark skinned boy with dark hair and narrowed black eyes.

"What's a mudblood?" asked a girl short straw blonde hair and brown eyes.

"It's a horrible term for muggle-borns," answered a dark skinned girl with a dark hair styled french braid and silver eyes. "It means dirty blood."

Whispers and conversations filled the antechamber as the group started talking amongst itself. Sirius looked over the students, trying to find Lily. Where was she?

As he heard the door open, his grey eyes fell on Lily and the boy she was talking to her, signaling the return of Professor McGonagall. Was that the wizard friend she mentioned? He was a little taller than Lily with pale skin, a hooked nose, shoulder-length dark hair that was oily and greasy looking, and black eyes. He wore a sneer as he spoke to Lily.

"Pair up, and form a line," McGonagall ordered before Sirius could walk over to Lily's side.

Without another word, the professor turned and she started to lead the long line of first years out of the antechamber. Sirius fell in step next to a girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes, a few rows behind Lily and her friend. Too busy looking at the back of Lily's head, Sirius barely noticed when they entered the Great Hall. It was a large room with four long table running across the room. Elevated on a platform was a large table at the end of the room where the numerous staff members were seated. Place in front of the staff table was a stool and a worn hat. Sirius recognized it as the Sorting Hat.

When they approached the platform, the woman had the large group of students crowd around. Once everyone was gathered, the Sorting Hat began its song. Sirius listened with half an ear as looked around for Lily.

"When I call your name, come forward," ordered Professor McGonagall as she unrolled a long sheet of parchment. She began with "Abbott, Abigail."

Sirius watched in mild boredom until she reached "Black, Narcissa." His cousin stepped forward.

"Slytherin!" shouted the Sorting Hat.

The Slytherin table exploded in applause as Narcissa removed the Sorting Hat. As she walked over to the table, she nodded at Sirius with a small smile.

"Black, Sirius," was called next.

Sirius walked up and he took a seat on the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on his head and it fell over his eyes.

 _"My, my,"_ the Sorting Hat said. _"Aren't you something? A Black that doesn't want to be in Slytherin."_

"Any where else," Sirius whispered.

 _"But Slytherin is perfect,"_ the Sorting Hat said. _"You're ambitious and cunning. You have what it takes to be an excellent Slytherin."_

"Not Slytherin!" he hissed.

 _"Not Slytherin, you say, but it's a perfect fit,"_ the Sorting Hat continued to say, _"but alas, I must put you somewhere. You're smart, but you're far from Ravenclaw martial. While you're hardworking, you don't know where your loyalties lie. Then you're brave, for wanting to defy your family's traditions. Don't forget, you're ambitious and cunning and driven, the perfect Slytherin."_

"Not Slytherin!" Sirius hissed, repeating himself. "Any where else but Slytherin."

 _"Fine, fine,"_ said the Sorting Hat, _"not Slytherin. Ravenclaw is out. That leaves Hufflepuff and Gryffindor."_

"Either is fine," Sirius promised, feeling a weight lifted off of his shoulders. There was no Slytherin in his future.

 _"Best of luck in GRYFFINDOR!"_ the Sorting Hat said, shouting the last word.

Silence filled the Great Hall as Sirius removed the Sorting Hat. He handed it to a stunned Professor McGonagall.

She looked at Sirius with wide green eyes as she watched him get up from the stool.

Sirius' gaze locked on the Gryffindor table as he walked towards his new House. This would be his new family. His old family would distance themselves before outright disowning him. It was only a matter of time until Orion caved to the demands of his wife and his father, and he disinherited Sirius as his Heir.

As he approached the table, a few people started clapping, offering a weak applause. Forcing himself to keep his head up, Sirius took a seat.

"Bolton, Rosemary," was called after Sirius, and the Sorting continued.

Sirius was pleased to see Lily Evans joined him at the Gryffindor table. She took a seat next to him with a small smile.

"Why was everyone so surprised when you were Sorted here?" she whispered as the next student was called.

"Most of my family ends up in Slytherin," Sirius explained. "I'm the first Gryffindor in family history."

Lily listened with wide green eyes.

After being hushed by an older student, Sirius and Lily returned their attention to the Sorting. Sirius was surprised when Peter Pettigrew took a seat across from him because Sirius thought this boy would end up in Hufflepuff. Peter offered Sirius a meek smile.

When the Sorting ended, Headmaster Dumbledore stood up and he said a few words before the feast began with the food appearing on the table.

 **...**

It wasn't until the next day when Sirius got to meet his roommates. After their long day and the Welcoming Feast, everyone went to bed. Sirius had passed out the moment his head touched the pillow, and he enjoyed a soundless sleep.

Due to the numerous first year boys, they were separated in groups of six per dorm. Sirius shared his dorm with Peter, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Frank Longbottom, and Kenneth Bell. Sirius had a bed between Peter and Potter, across from Lupin.

"L-let's head to breakfast," Peter said, turning to Sirius after he pulled on his robes.

Sirius nodded. That was a good idea as any. With any luck, he would be able to eat fast enough and get his schedule before his _loving_ mother's howler arrived. Knowing his mother, it would come today or tomorrow at breakfast.

"Can I tag along?" asked James Potter. He was a little taller than Sirius with messy dark hair and hazel eyes with glasses.

"S-sure," Peter replied with a smile.

Potter smiled as he led the way out of their dorm and into the common room.

Sirius smiled when he spotted Lily and two of her roommates waiting in the common room.

"Sirius, good morning," Lily said with a smile. "These are Hazel Brown and Valeria Pierce."

"Come on," he said, inviting them along, "we're headed to the Great Hall."

Lily and her two roommates looked at them before agreeing to come.

"Do you remember the way?" Lily asked, falling in step next to Sirius.

" _I_ sure do," Potter replied with a proud smile as he shoved something into his pocket.

"As do I," Hazel Brown said, falling in step next to Potter. She had short blonde hair and blue eyes.

The walk to the Great Hall passed with Potter and Brown trying to out run on another while still trying to lead their group. Sirius and Lily were amused by their actions, each one cheering on their new roommate. In the end, Hazel was the first one seated at the Gryffindor table.

 **...**

By the end of the first month, Sirius and James began best friends, bonding in detention and planning a few pranks on the first year Slytherins. The first year Slytherin had taken to bullying and tormenting Sirius. The group was led by Edward Avery and manipulated by Narcissa Black. The, also, included Severus Snape, Lily's friend.

James took the House is family personally. He acted in defense of Sirius every time the Slytherins started something. In fact, James was tired of reacting, and he had taken to starting the conflicts. Those actions landed James and Sirius in detention.

Outside of James and Peter, Sirius had befriended Remus Lupin. He was painfully shy and antisocial. Most days, Remus barely said more than thirty words, and most of the speaking was when professors called on him in class. One thing that was clear about Remus was his intelligence.

 **...**

"Why are being mean to Severus?" Lily demanded, cornering Sirius in the common room. It was an early morning in December.

"I'm not," Sirius answered. He could remember a single time he was mean to Snape without Snape starting something. In fact, there were times Sirius was trying to protect him because he was Lily's friend.

"Yes, you are," Lily stated, placing her hands on her hips and narrowing her green eyes. "You and Potter – you're bullying him!"

"How?" Sirius asked, rising his voice. "We have _never_ started anything with Snape. He's _always_ starting something with us."

"No he isn't," Lily said, her voice raising in volume. "Severus isn't a bully."

"I'm not saying he's a bully," Sirius told him. "I'm saying anytime we fight, _he_ is starting it."

"You're lying!" Lily stated. "Severus has told me _everything_."

"Did he tell you he stole James' Transfigurations essay last week?" Sirius demanded. He would understand that Lily and Snape were close, and he respected their friendship because Lily was important to him – and he knew Snape was important to her.

"He didn't!" Lily denied, shaking her head.

"Well, he did," Sirius explained, "and if he told you otherwise then he's lying."

"Severus isn't a thief or a bully, and he isn't a lair," she stated. "You're a lair!" Without another word, Lily turned and she stormed off to her dorm.

Sirius stood still, due to shock, as he watched Lily leave. Why didn't she believe him? Sirius didn't lie. He was taught to tell the truth, no matter what, because lying was dishonest and dishonesty was unbecoming of a pure-blood. That was one of the few lessons of value his mother taught him.

After their fight in the common room, Lily stopped hanging around Sirius and James. She stayed in the company of Hazel and Valeria, and she still hung around with Snape. Seeing Lily with Snape left a bitter taste in Sirius' mouth. Every time Snape caught Sirius looked at him and Lily, Snape would wrap an arm around Lily's shoulders and smirk in Sirius' direction.

 **...**

In the middle of their third year, Sirius was faced with a hard decision. His best friend, James, developed a crush on Lily, the same girl Sirius had liked since he was eleven. Sirius could fight with his best friend for Lily or he could support James' crush was trying to steer him towards another girl.

Knowing how Lily felt about both Sirius and James, Sirius decided to support James' crush. It wasn't like Lily would give either of them the time of day while they were attending Hogwarts. All Sirius had to do was wait until they graduated before pursuing Lily himself.

In supporting James and encouraging him to pursue Lily, Sirius found a small part of himself rejoice each time Lily rejected James. How many public and humiliating rejections would it take before James moved on? Honestly, Sirius thought it take two or three, but James went back each and every time. After two years, Sirius was questioning James' crush. It was clear James _really_ liked Lily, and his feelings showed no signs of fading.

 **...**

"You were right," Lily whispered as she sat next to Sirius in the library. Her voice was quiet and she sounded broken.

Sirius glanced up from the Transfiguration textbook. "About what?" he asked.

"About Severus," she answered, her voice cracking.

"I am sorry," Sirius whispered. He was. He remembered how important Snape was to Lily back in their first year. That year, Lily chose Snape above her other friends, including Sirius and Valeria Pierce. She believed in him, and Snape played on that as he manipulated her.

"Thanks," Lily said with watery smile as a few tears streamed down her cheeks.

Sirius said nothing as he placed a hand on top of hers.

"What did he do today?" Lily asked.

"He stole Peter's notes," Sirius replied, "before ridiculing him." He shrugged, "You know how self-conscious Peter is, and Snape crossed the line by tormenting him before OWLs."

"You could've handle it better," Lily muttered, pulling out her review notes for Potions.

"We could have," agreed Sirius with nod.

 **...**

It their seventh year, Sirius' worst nightmares started to come true. Lily did return James' feelings.

"Can you say that, again?" James asked, staring at Lily with wide hazel eyes.

" _James_ , can you escort me to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Lily asked with wide smile.

"Y-yes!" James answered, his voice loud.

Lily laughed in response.

James wondered off in a daze with a stupid grin on his face.

Sirius remained frozen in his seat as he watched the scene unfold.

Lily watched James leave with a fond smile before she took the armchair next to Sirius in fornt of the fireplace.

"You were right, again," she declared with a smile.

"About what?" Sirius asked, turning to look at Lily. He could feel his heart starting to break. She liked James.

Lily liked James, his best friend.

The girl he loved, liked his best friend.

"About James," she replied, smile in place. "He's a great guy, and I can see that now."

"Oh," Sirius said. If hadn't supported James would Lily have given him a chance?

"It's official," Lily said with a laugh, "I am forever following your advice."

Sirius forced himself to return her smile, like he forced himself to support their relationship despite his own feelings for Lily.

 **...**

The hardest day of Sirius' life was the wedding day of his best friend. James was marrying the love of his life – both James' life, and Sirius' life. No one knew about Sirius' feelings for Lily. That day, Sirius' duty was two fold. He was serving as James' best man, and he was walking Lily down the aisle. Honestly, Sirius wanted nothing more than to stay in bed all day. It took all of his energy to leave his bed and get dressed.

"You look beautiful," Sirius whispered when he saw Lily.

Lily blushed, running her hands over her muggle wedding dress. The top was form-fitting with a beaded bodice and a sweetheart neckline, and the bottom was long and flowing. "Thank you," she said, glancing in the mirror. "It was my mum's."

Nodding, Sirius wasn't sure what to say. Lily's parents had died two years ago, a month before they graduated from Hogwarts.

"Sorry," Lily muttered, whipping a few tears from her eyes. "Today is supposed to be about happy things, not sad things."

"It's both," Sirius said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Today's the beginning of the rest of your life as Lily Potter."

With a few more tears and a laugh, Lily agreed before she fixed her make up.

"Are you ready?" Sirius asked, as he escorted Lily to the gardens.

"Yes," she replied without hesitation before they stepped out of the double doors.

With a heavy heart, Sirius escorted Lily down the aisle to the man she loved. Everything in Sirius was wishing he stood in James' place. After handing Lily off to James, Sirius moved to take his place next to James, as his best friend and his best man. That was where he belonged.

* * *

This was written in response to the following: (1) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ and (2) _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Challenge Forum.  
(1) _Colors of the Rainbow_ – Red, Prompt 2: Write about unrequited love.  
(2) _Shop for a Prompt_ – (Character) Sirius Black

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Words: ~4,000


	6. Special Meaning

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Romantic – Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; and het  
 **Prompt:** (Flower) Rose

 **Summary:** When Luna Lovegood received a charm bracelet, she acted as a Ravenclaw, doing research and investigating.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _005\. Special Meaning_

Luna Lovegood smiled when an owl landed in front of her. It was a non-descriptive barn owl, looking like one of the several school owls. She petted the owl, running her fingers over the brown feathers.

"What did you bring me?" she asked, her voice gentle and close to cooing. Luna handed the owl a piece of bacon as she untied the parchment from around his foot. She was surprised by the weight of the letter.

Unfolding the parchment, Luna found a short message and a charm bracelet. She glanced at the bracelet before turning her attention to the letter. The letter was written in small and neat penmanship, and the handwriting looked familiar.

 _My dearest Luna,_

 _Please take this as a token as my appreciation. I want you to know how much you mean to me._

With a gentle smile, Luna flipped the parchment over, looking for some kind of a signature. There wasn't a name, an initial, or some kind of a symbol. There was nothing.

Done with the letter, Luna folded the parchment and she placed it in her pocket before turning her attention to the charm bracelet. The bracelet and each charm were constructed out of sterling silver, and it was the perfect size to fit around her wrist. There were seven charms on the bracelet: a fern, an ivy, a lilac, a tulip, a hawthorn, a snowdrop, and a rose. While Luna was no expert, she knew she knew each plant and flower had a special meaning.

Smile in place, Luna got from the Ravenclaw table and she skipped out of the Great Hall, headed for the library. While her Herbology textbook was in her dorm, she knew she would find better books and resources in the library.

In the library, Luna made her way to the Herbology section where she glanced over the various books before settling on _Forrest's Guide to the Plant Kingdom_. Flipping through the book, she quickly gathered the information she wanted. A fern symbolized sincerity, an ivy as friendship, a lilac as early love, a tulip as a declaration of love, a hawthorn as hope, a snowdrop as friendship, and a rose for love.

Satisfied with the information, Luna returned the book to the shelf before leaving the library, headed to Ravenclaw Tower. Since it was Saturday, she planned to finish her homework before taking a stroll along the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

The reminder of the weekend passed uneventfully. Luna finished her homework, and she continued her search for a crumple-horned snorkack. Getting the bracelet on Saturday morning was the highlight of her weekend.

 **...**

After getting the bracelet, Luna began to ponder over the identity of the sender. She liked to believe the sender was really a secret admirer based off of the short message. Every time she read the letter, a sense of warmth filled Luna. Someone out there cared about her.

The list of suspects was short, centered around the people Luna had the regular contact with, eliminating casual acquaintances and her best friends, Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter. There was something familiar about the handwriting, meaning Luna had to have seen it before. While she had seen it, she didn't see it often enough to recognize.

Acting like a muggle detective she read about in _Sherlock Holmes_ , Luna did her best to seek a peak at every suspect's handwriting. Her secret admirer wasn't Hermione Granger or Ronald Weasley. Those results didn't surprise Luna since the pair was trying to figure out their relationship – Luna's galleons were on Ron going back to Lavender Brown, and Hermione ending up with someone as intellection as herself, like Terry Boot or Percy Weasley.

From there, she went through her roommates and the other Ravenclaws she spent time with. None of them were a match, including Rolf Scamander such to Luna's dismay. She didn't dwell on it for long before moving onto the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins she regular saw, most of whom she shared classes with.

Luna saved Gryffindor for last, wanting her secret admirer to be a certain someone special. It took her long and agonizing two days to find Neville's handwriting. After stealing his Herbology notes, Luna compared the handwriting in the safety of her four-poster bed late at night. That night, she fell asleep with a smile.

 **...**

Two weeks after she reserved her charm bracelet, Luna entered the Great Hall carrying a small bouquet of red roses. With a smile, she skipped over to the Gryffindor table, where Neville was sitting across from Harry and Dean Thomas.

Without asking, Luna took a seat next to Neville and she placed the bouquet of roses in front of Neville. Luna smiled at him before grabbing some waffles and pouring herself a cup of tea.

"L-Luna?" Neville said, looking at her wide eyes. "What are these?"

"They're roses," Luna answered, putting strawberries on top of her waffles. "Aren't you supposed to know your flowers?"

Neville opened and closed his mouth a few times as he tried to form a reply.

"Since they're red roses," Luna continued, "you should know those mean love. I couldn't find a flower that means 'I love you, too.'"

Luna smiled as she watched Neville turn red, and she heard stuttering from Harry and Dean.

"R-really?" Neville asked, his voice a little soft.

"Of course," she answered with a smile before leaning in to kiss him. It was a simple brush of the lips before Luna turned her attention to her waffles.

Next to her, a goofy grin settled on Neville's face as he watched Luna before trying to eat his own breakfast. He had some difficulty eating since his fork kept missing his mouth.

* * *

This was written in response to _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
Red, Prompt 3: Rose

* * *

Words: ~1,000


	7. Kiss the Girl

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Romantic – Hermione Granger/Lavender Brown  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; femslash; Lavender Brown lives; Colin Creevey lives; and mentions of het  
 **Prompt:** (Gryffindor Character) Lavener Brown; and (Setting) Gryffindor Common Room

 **Summary:** It's time for the new Gryffindor tradition: Trial by Fire. Hermione Granger is the latest chosen one – or victim, as far as Lavender Brown is concerned.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _006\. Kiss the Girl_

The group of older students cheered as Ron Weasley descended the stairs from the seventh year boys' dorm carrying two horrid hats – if rumors were to be believed, the hats belonged to Albus Dumbledore and they were left to the school after his death.

"It's time for drawing!" Ron declared, waving the hats around.

Seated next to the fire, Lavender Brown sighed. This was a new tradition started by Hermione Granger in an effector to lift spirits up amongst the older students – fifth year and above. The tradition, called Trial by Fire, was performed every night Friday and Saturday night. The blue hat with fish patterns held a piece of parchment with the name of eligiable every Gryffindor student, and the glittery plaid hat held a piece of parchment with actions on them.

At the beginning of the year, each student fifth year and above filled out a piece of parchment with their full name, and second with a daring act. Afterwards, the parchment was collected and placed in the correct hat. Each piece of parchment and each hat was charmed and jinxed with magic compelling the chosen one to fulfill their daring act. Until the chosen one fulfilled their act, a new person and new action couldn't be selected.

The reason Lavender was opposed to the Trial by Fire was because it was humiliating to the chosen person. Lavender had witnessed Neville Longbottom showing off Luna Lovegood's kinkers, Ginny Weasley giving Colin Creevey a lap dance, Dennis Creevey drinking milk until he puked, and Demelza Robins being a Slytherin for a day.

Sighing, Lavender leaned back as she waited for the torture to begin. The sooner it started, the sooner it was over, and this couldn't end soon enough. "Let's get on with this," Lavender muttered.

"I know, it's so exciting!" Parvati Patil stated. "I'm hoping Hermione gets embarrassed next."

Heather Wood, the sixth year Prefect, reached into the blue hat and retrieved a piece of parchment. With a grin, she announced, "Hermione Granger."

The gathered crowd cheered, eager to witness this. This was the first time a Prefect had been selected.

Glancing over at Hermione, Lavender was intrigued, against her better judgment. She didn't want to see her roommate embarrassed or anything, but it would interesting to see what daring action Hermione was given. Honestly, Lavender hoped it was something tame like skipping class for a day or declaring her undying love for Professor McGonagall.

Lucas Monroe, the other sixth year Prefect, pulled a slip of parchment from the plaid hat. "Kiss your crush," he read.

Hermione's face turned beet red and her eyes widened.

"Draw another one!" Ron demanded, crossing his arms. It was well known the relationship between Ron and Hermione was short lived, and no one knew the reason.

Personally, it was a piece of gossip Lavender wanted to know.

"You can't," Hermione whispered, "it's against the rules." She looked around the common room, taking in all of her housemates. Slowly, she stood up from the couch, patting Harry Potter's arm as she went.

Lavender watched as Hermione walked across the Gryffindr common room towards the students gathered around the fireplace.

Several people looked hopeful Hermione would kiss them, much to Lavender's annoyance. Honestly, most of these people were only interested in Hermione for horrible reasons: she was best friends with Harry Potter, she was a genius, and she was hero from the Second Blood War. None of these people saw Hermione as the brave, smarting, and kind person she was. Lavender saw it.

Lavender was pulled out of her thoughts as a hush fell over the common room. Glancing around, she found Hermione standing a foot away, biting her lip and looking nervous with a light blush covering her cheeks. She watched Hermione took another step forward before dropping to her knees.

"Sorry, Lav," was all she heard before Hermione leaned it and kissed her on the lips.

Lavender's eyes widened. Hermione _liked_ her.

As quick as the kiss started, it was over with Hermione fleeing up to the dorm. Lavender watched her go, feeling hurt. Why would Hermione leave like that?

Lost in her own thoughts, Lavender failed to notice Ron turning red and the group of onlooking students be spent away by Ginny and Harry.

"Lavender!" Parvati said, shaking her best friend.

"What?" Lavender asked in a daze as she looked at her best friend. Over Parvati's shoulder she saw Harry and Ginny.

"I asked how you were," Parvati said, sounding a little defensive.

"I'm fine," Lavender replied with a frown. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you kissed Granger!" yelled Camille Fawley, a fifth year.

Ginny and Harry turned to glare at the fifth year.

"So?" Lavender demanded. "There's nothing wrong with that."

" _You_ sure didn't act like that," Fawley continued to heckle.

Lavender's eyes narrowed. There was barely any time to return the kiss or pull Hermione close before she left. "It's mildly shocking," she stated, "to find out my friend and roommate returns my crush."

Fawley's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "W-what?" she said.

Standing up, Lavender rolled her eyes. "You heard me," she declared, marching across the common room to the stairs.

Behind her, Lavender heard Parvati join Harry and Ginny in berating the fifth year. She would have to explain everything to her best friend later, but it was a relief to know Parvati supported her.

Gathering her confidence and her courage, Lavender ascended the stairs up to the seventh year girls' dorm. She formed herself to take a deep breath as she entered the dorm. The sight that greeted her broke Lavender's heart.

Hermione was face-down on her bed, sodding into her pillow.

Gently, Lavender closed the door behind and she walked over to Hermione's bed, where she took a seat without asking.

"Go away, Ginny!" Hermione demanded between sods. "I want to be left alone right now."

"It's not Ginny," Lavender said, placing a hand on Hermione's back.

Hermione's head shot up and she looked over her shoulder. Her brown eyes widened. "L-Lavender," she choked out.

Reaching out, Lavender whipped a few of Hermione's tears away without saying anything.

"L-look, I would appreciate it if we pretended the kiss never happened," she whispered, turning her head away from Lavender.

Lavender frowned at the action and Hermione's words. "What if I don't want to pretend?" she asked.

Hermione flinched at the question. "I just need until Monday," she said. "I'll ask Professor McGonagall to move me to a different dorm."

Frowning, Lavender thought over what Hermione was saying. Her eyes widened. Was it possible Hermione thought Lavender was disgusted by the kiss or something? Well, she wasn't. It took her a few seconds to form a plan.

"I think," she whispered, leaning close to Hermione, "we can do it better."

Hermione turned to look at with a confused look on in her brown eyes.

Smirking, Lavender leaned forward and she pressed her lips against Hermione's. She felt Hermione freeze, and she placed her hand against Hermione's head, trying to deepen the kiss. A second later, Hermione began to respond by placing a hand on Lavender's neck, pulling the girl closer. When they pulled apart, both of them were breathless. Hermione leaned her forehead against Lavender's, staring into the other girl's hazel eyes.

"What does this mean?" Hermione whispered, sound vulnerable.

"Whatever we want," Lavender answered, "but we are exclusive."

Hermione smiled before pulling Lavender into another kiss.

* * *

This was written in response to the following: (1) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ and (2) _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
(1) _Colors of the Rainbow_ – Red, Prompt 1: Write about any Gryffindor.  
(2) _Shop for a Prompt_ – (Setting) Gryffindor Common Room

* * *

Words: ~1,300


	8. With New Friends

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Friendship – Roxanne Weasley, Fred Weasley II, and Elizabeth Black  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; and original character (Elizabeth Black)  
 **Prompt:** (Character) Roxanne Weasley; and (Color) Golden

 **Summary:** When Elizabeth Black learned about Quidditch from Roxanne Weasley, she was enraged to learn her older sister kept it a secret from her. Luckily, Elizabeth befriended George Weasley's daughter, and she came with a twin brother.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _007\. With New Friends_

Elizabeth Black tilted her head to side as she listened to her new friend, Roxanne Weasley, described Quidditch – the _only_ magical sport.

"I don't have much of a talent for it, myself," Roxanne said with a shrug, "but I _love_ watching. In professional games, the Chasers are _super_ fast."

"In _all_ the magical world, there's only _one_ sport?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes wide. An overwhelming sense of hopelessness started to fill her soul. There was _only one_ sport! How could this be!

"Well, it's the only popular one," Roxanne answered, narrowing her brown eyes as her new friend.

"But – but _why_?" Elizabeth demanded. If there was only one sport, then she would have to give up playing tennis. She _loved_ tennis. Despite what her older sister claimed, tennis was awesome. Belle simply lacked the hand-eye coordination to play the sport – or any sport really.

Elizabeth's blue eyes widened at the thought of her sister. "That sneaky bitch!" she exclaimed, childishly stomping her foot.

Roxanne raised a dark eyebrow as she watched her friend. "Who?" she asked.

"Belle, my older sister," Elizabeth answered, her eyes narrowed as she thought back to the hundreds of letters and countless sports. She started pacing up and down the floor in their dorm. "She _never_ told me about Quidditch."

"I thought you were muggle-born," Roxanne said.

"I am," Elizabeth confirmed, tossing a handful of golden blonde hair over her shoulder, "so's Belle. She's a seventh year."

Roxanne thought about all the older students she knew. Personally, she only knew one seventh year, her honorary cousin Teddy Lupin. "What House is she in?" From what Roxanne had gathered about the older Gryffindors, there wasn't anyone named Belle Black amongst them.

"She's in Hufflepuff with her two best friends," Elizabeth answered.

"Does she know Teddy Lupin?"

Elizabeth whirled around, facing her friend. "Yes!" she confirmed. "How do you know Teddy?"

"He's, like, a member of the family," Roxanne answered. That was the _easiest_ explanation. Technically, Teddy was the godson of her Uncle Harry, and Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny spent a lot of time with Teddy as his legal guardian and grandma got older, allow Roxanne and her cousins to grow up with Teddy.

Nodding, Elizabeth accepted the answer. "I need to figure out how to get back at my sister," she said. "She's known about Quidditch for six years, and she _never_ told me! I will have vengeance!"

Roxanne grinned at her friend's words. "We're gonna need my brother," she stated, rubbing her hands together. "And I'll write my dad."

That night, Elizabeth began best friends to the Weasley twins. Roxanne and Fred were brilliant, and they supported her need for revenge, instead of trying to talk her out of it – like _some_ people.

 **...**

It took a week for Elizabeth and her new best friends to plan and implement their prank. While Elizabeth was determined to get her sister, Roxanne acted as the brains. By directly targeting Belle, Elizabeth would become one of the primary suspects. _If_ they targeted multiple people, then no one would be certain who the prankster was.

Roxanne decided to use a potion in dessert at dinner one night. Thanks to her dad, she knew where the kitchens were and how to bride the house-elves into using the potion. She would need to guarantee it wasn't a harmful potion. For that process, Roxanne brought her twin and Elizabeth along.

"You're welcoming to start baking," Roxanne told the house-elves with a smile. "We'll wait until it's done and try it."

The three students sat down at a small table off to the side, placing them out of the way of the working house-elves.

The house-elves agreed, quickly getting to work.

"Can's Mizzi's gets you's anything?" a house-elf with large green eyes and a light gray uniform.

"Can I get a chai iced tea?" Elizabeth asked, her blue eyes wide in excitement. That was her favorite drink, and she hadn't seen it anywhere in the magic world.

"Mizzi's sorries, but I's don't knows what that is," Mizzi said, wringing her hands together.

Elizabeth pouted at the answer. She would have to go nine months of the year without a chai iced tea. This would be torture. How was she going to survive the next seven years? Her blue eyes lit up as an idea crossed her idea. "What if I bring you the recipe?" she asked, eagerness in her voice tone.

"Mizzi might be able to," the house-elf nodded.

Smiling in satisfaction, Elizabeth made a note to send a letter to her mom asking for the recipe or the loose tealeaves. Scratch that, Elizabeth needed to ask for both.

"Do you have any biscuits?" Fred asked. "My dad said they're the best – even better than Grandma Molly's."

"Yes, gives me just a moment," Mizzi answered, dashing off.

"Woo, good idea!" Roxanne said, pushing her brother in the arm.

Mizzi returned carrying a tray with a plateful of biscuits, a small pot of honey, some butter, and three knives. "Here's you's goes," the house-elf, placing the tray on the middle of the table. "Mister Fred, I's be wondering, who's yours dad?"

Fred grinned around his mouthful of biscuits, unable to answer. His grandma and his mom had raised him with manners, to matter how little he used them.

"George Weasley," Roxanne said, rolling her eyes at twin's actions.

Mizzi's eyes widened as she glanced back and forth between the twins. "I's needs to talk to Bilt," she squeaked, dashing off.

"Is it just me, or did she look terrified?" Elizabeth asked, tilting her head as she stared at her friends. She cut her biscuit in half.

Fred nodded with a smirk. "Dad has a latest legacy," he bragged.

"Clearly, it's not the good kind," Elizabeth stated, spreading some honey on her biscuit.

Roxanne laughed. "Dad and Uncle Fred were legendary pranksters," she explained.

Elizabeth nodded, making note the shared name between their uncle and the boy sitting across from her. She was curious, but she felt it was inappropriate to ask – for the time being. It was something Elizabeth intended to ask about in the future – a year or two down the road.

" _We're_ gonna be better," Fred declared with a grin.

"We'll see," Roxanne said with a shrug, "but if we want to be better, we'll need more people."

Fred shrugged. "If you say so," he agreed, "but we'll want to keep our group small."

"Cousin James would be an excellent addition," Roxanne, helping herself to another biscuit.

"We need to think about it before coming to any decisions," Fred stated.

"You's be's the childs of Mister George," said an older house-elf with dark eyes and burgundy uniform. "You's troublemakers just like him and Mister Fred."

Elizabeth grew nervous while her friends remained silent with smiles on their lips.

"Dad told us _all_ about you, Bilt," Roxanne said. "According to him, you're the best house-elf in all of Hogwarts."

"Oh, Mister George hasn't changed," Bilt smiled. "We's going to be great friends."

"We're glad to hear that," Fred said with a nod.

"Now's, Mizzi be's finishing up you's cake," Bilt explained, "and then we's gets to work."

"Sounds great," Roxanne and Fred said together.

A few seconds later, Mizzi returned carrying another tray. There were three pieces of cake on it. The young house-elf placed the tray on top of the table, sliding the previous one to the side.

"Let us begin," Bilt said with a wide grin, handing each of the students a fork.

Elizabeth grasped her fork, as she eyed her piece of golden yellow cake with a chocolate filling and chocolate frosting. Grabbing a forkful of the cake, she began to eat, coping the actions of her new friends. As far as Elizabeth could recall, this _wasn't_ part of the plan.

After six bites, Elizabeth started to feel the affects. She was weightless and she was starting to float, as if defying gravity.

"This is great!" Fred declared, spinning himself in circles by going head over feet.

"You're gonna make yourself sick," Roxanne declared, shaking her head. In her left hand, she held her plate of cake and the fork in her right hand.

"This is kinda fun," Elizabeth admitted as she imitated the moonwalk.

"This be's lots of fun," Bilt declared, clapping his hands together. "We's must gets to works."

* * *

This was written in response to the following: (1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ and (2) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
(1) _Build Your Cube_ –White: (Character) Roxanne Weasley  
(2) _Colors of the Rainbow_ – Orange 03: (Prompt) Gold/Golden

* * *

Words: ~1,500


	9. Lucky Number Twenty

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Pairings:** Charlie Weasley/Harry Potter  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; no magic; everyone is a muggle; slash; mentions of het; Weasley family means well, but they meddle too much; Harry meddles too; and not Lavender Brown friendly  
 **Prompt:** (AU) Blind date

 **Summary:** When Charlie Weasley showed up for a blind date, he didn't expect Harry Potter and a pleasant evening.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _008\. Lucky Number Twenty_

Eyes locked on his phone screen, Charlie Weasley found his thumb hovering above _Install_. He was vaguely aware of the waiter approaching the table with two glasses of ice water. Pretending to be occupied, Charlie tried to ignore the way the waiter's gaze lingered on him – judging him. This particular waiter was familiar with Charlie, and that familiarly seemed to grow every other week when Charlie returned for yet _another_ blind date.

While there was no rule about using the same restaurant for one failed blind date after another, Charlie didn't see the point in finding a new restaurant. The Dungeon was a nice restaurant with a long menu and a large alcohol selection, in addition to a polite staff and a lovely atmosphere.

With sigh, Charlie placed his cell phone on the table. The screen was lit, allowing him to stare longingly at it. The app sounded like an answer to all his problems – current and future. But he would be rude of him to using without meeting his date and giving her a choice.

Who knows maybe blind date number twenty was _the one_?

Charlie quietly snored to himself. While he wasn't cynical, that was sounded too funny and too good to be true.

The only reason Charlie going on one blind date after another was to please his family. All of his siblings were happy in long term relationship – Bill was married to Fleur, Percy was proposing in a week to Penelope, George had been dating Angelina for four years, Fred finally admitted his feelings for Lee, Ron and Hermione were going steady after years of friendship, and Ginny was getting married to Dean next month.

Everyone was worried about Charlie being lonely, and _everyone_ knew someone who was "just perfect" for him. So, here he was another doomed blind date.

When the screen turned off, Charlie fought the urge to turn it back on and give into his desire to download _FOIL_. With all of the successful dating apps, someone had created _FOIL_ as a means to assist someone in leaving their date.

Taring his eyes away from his cell phone, Charlie focused on watching the front of the restaurant where the maitre d' was seating customers. Among those waiting had to be Charlie's date, the perfect girl for him selected by Hermione.

Charlie watched as the maitre d' seated a few couples before being approached a woman with dark hair. Sitting up, Charlie tried to accept his approaching demise. The sooner she was seated, the sooner the date would go horribly wrong, and the sooner Charlie got out of here. At the thought of leaving, Charlie found himself being to accept his fate.

Instead of bring the woman offer, the maitre d' shook his head and the woman stormed off in huff. Maybe that wasn't his blind date.

With a sigh, Charlie checked the time on his cell phone. In one minute, he date would be running late, which would delay their disaster date and Charlie's ability to leave.

It would appear the night could get worse, which was something Charlie hadn't anticipated.

Reaching out, he grabbed ahold of his water glass. As he took a sip, Charlie wished it was something stronger. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be allowed to order until his date showed up. The restaurant had some policy about everyone in the party needing to be present before anyone would order. That hadn't been a problem until _now_ , when Charlie was bored and sober, wanting desperately be buzzed or leaving.

Five minutes later, the maitre d' was escorting a _man_ to Charlie's table. His blue eyes widened at the sight. It was well known that Charlie was bisexual, but this was the first blind date with a man. This man was attractive and easy on the eyes with messy dark hair, green eyes, and his lean build. He wore a blue button-down shirt tucked into a pair of black slacks with a black belt, shiny shoes, and a coat thrown over his arm. There was something oddly familiar about this man, but Charlie couldn't place it.

"Here you are, _sir_ ," the maitre d' said, staring at Charlie's date with a long, lingering look.

"Thank you," the man began, staring at the maitre d' name tag, "Colin."

The man and the maitre d' engaged in a short staring contest before the maitre d' left, returning to the front of the restaurant.

Charlie noted the odd exchange.

Harry took a seat, offering Charlie a smile. "Hello," he greeted, "I'm Harry."

"I'm Charlie," the redhead told his date, offering a polite smile in return.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," said Harry. "Tell me about yourself?" He grabbed his water, taking a long sip.

Charlie raised an eyebrow at the question. "Didn't Hermione tell you about me?"

"I don't know much about you," Harry replied, "and honestly, I would rather learn about from you, then someone else."

Feeling flattered, Charlie offered his date the first real smile of the night. "Well," he began, "I'm an animal trainer. I specialize in dogs."

"Where do you work?" Harry asked with a frown. With a blush, he quickly added, "I mean, like, do you work for a company or are you self-employed?"

"A little of both," Charlie answered, with a small smile. Harry's blush was adorable. "I work for Dragon Obedience, but I have plenty of side work from friends and family. In fact, Penelope just got me hired to consult on a new TV show." That was part of the truth, at least. Technically, Charlie co-owned Dragon Obedience with his brother Percy, and their friend, Oliver Wood, _and_ it wasn't a new TV show anymore since _Tails_ was renewed for another season and it was the hottest new show of the year.

"Nice," Harry said with general interest.

Charlie was filled with warmth. At least someone found Charlie's work fascinating – Hermione. An eyebrow rose at the thought. This was _Hermione's_ pick, but she found Charlie's work with animals to be immortal and horrible, in violation of their rights. It would be odd for Hermione to send him someone who liked his job.

"What about you?" Charlie asked. He was curious how Hermione knew Harry. He couldn't recall Hermione talking about Harry before.

"I'm a chef," Harry replied. "I'm in the process of opening my own restaurant."

"What type of restaurant?" Harry appeared to be in his mid-twenties. Most people at that age didn't have the money to open a restaurant, unless they came from money or knew someone who did or they had investors.

"It's, like, a dessert bar." Harry blushed as he explained, "Basically, I plan to pair desserts with alcohol, and I'd like to have a pianist or some form of live music."

"That sounds nice." Charlie offered his date a smile before looking around for the waiter. Where was he? They were both seated, and Charlie wanted to order. At the moment, he wasn't in a rush to leave since the date was going well, but it was still early.

As if on cue, the waiter walked towards their table, stopping to check in on his other tables. Ordering went quickly with Charlie getting his usual filet mignon, medium rare, with a glass of Merlot wine, while Harry got the white shrimp fettuccine Alfredo with a glass of Chardonnay. As the waiter left, he cast a lingering glance at Harry.

While they waited, the pair fell into a discussion about their interests. With a blush, Harry admitted to be a geek. He loved comic books, something that connected him to his dad, and he knew five languages – English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese. Charlie shared his own interest in comic books, preferring Marvel over DC, and his habit of adopting animals. He currently owned six dogs, a goat, two pigs, and five cats.

When the waiter returned with their food, the conversation changed to hobbies. They both played tennis, Charlie attended university on a tennis scholarship while Harry grew up playing with his uncle.

Charlie ended up having a great time. Before he knew it, the waiter was collecting their empty plates and leaving them with the dessert menu.

"What would you recommend?" Charlie asked, trying to sound flirtatious. It would seem blind date number twenty was somewhat lucky. It was too early to tell if it was a successful date, but Charlie found himself hopeful.

"Well, I would need to look," Harry answered with a growing blush. He took the menu and opened it.

"Well, Mister Potter," a man said, stopping in front of their table. He was tall with a hooked nose, dark eyes, and dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail.

"S-Severus," Harry said, wilting under the man's gaze.

"I was surprised to hear you joined us this evening." The man crossed his arms, staring down at Harry. "This is your first night off in a month, and you chose to dine here."

Charlie's eyes widened as he remembered why Harry looked so familiar. They had seen each other before – several times, in fact – when Charlie was here on a failed blind date. A sense of rage and hurt filled him, but he forced himself to take a deep breath and remain calm. Nothing good would come from his loosing his temper.

"I'm on a date," Harry stated, his tone close to hissing.

"Yes, I heard," Severus said without turning to look at Charlie, "and I felt the need to stop by." The man walked away without another.

"Bloody dungeon bat," Harry muttered, glaring at the man's retreating back.

"Who was that?" Charlie asked, his tone close to demanding.

"Severus Snape, the head chef and owner," answered Harry with a shake of his head, "and my uncle."

An uncomfortable and awkward silence fell over the pair.

"I'm not your date," Harry admitted after a minute. "I paid Colin to turn her away when I saw your name on the reserve list."

Nodding, Charlie was beginning to figure part of that out himself.

"I've seen you around, a few times," he continued to explained, running a hand through his messy hair, "and I found you attractive. After your three weeks ago, I decided to take a shot myself."

Charlie cringed at the mention of unlucky blind date number eighteen – otherwise known as Lavender Brown. The night had gone horribly from the moment Lavender arrived, occupied with her cell phone. She barely glanced up for more than a minute, otherwise totally immersed in the device. She went as far as to order two expensive entrees, a bottle of white wine, and an entire cheesecake – most of which was barely touched and packed to-go. Instead of paying for the entire bill, Charlie requested a split cheque. When Lavender was delivered her cheque, she pushed it towards Charlie without a word, only to discover she had to pay. The date ended with Lavender pouring the bottle of white wine on Charlie before causing a scene, which led to her arrest.

"I liked you, and I felt terrible," Harry carried on. "No one deserves to be treated that way. So," he paused to take a deep breath, casting a nervous glance at Charlie, "I set myself up with you."

"Overall, I would say this was an excellent blind date," Charlie said.

Relief passed through Harry's green eyes as he smiled. "Can there be another one?"

"Depends," Charlie answered, "what do you recommend for dessert?"

In response, Harry laughed, opening the menu and pointing out his favorites.

"Also, you need to call and apology to Hermione," Charlie added. Someone had to explain why he stood her _perfect match_ for him up, and that was something Charlie wanted Harry to enjoy.

* * *

This was written in response to _Build Your Cube Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
Yellow: (AU) Blind Date

* * *

Words: ~2,000


	10. These Moments

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Friendship – Fred Weasley II and Elizabeth Black  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; original character (Elizabeth Black); mentions of het; and mentions of violence  
 **Prompt:** (Setting) Quidditch Game

 **Summary:** It's the final Quidditch game of the school year – Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. The Quidditch Cup is on the line as Seeker Elizabeth Black looks for the Snitch.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _009\. These Moments_

Shifting her weight, Elizabeth Black tried to make herself comfortable on her broomstick. It was these moments when she missed playing tennis. For the past hour, Elizabeth flew around on her broom, looking for the blasted Snitch.

The golden ball was _no where_ to be seen!

Elizabeth felt her left eye twitch at the thought. Where was that blasted Snitch? The sooner she caught it, the sooner the Quidditch game was over.

Closing her blue eyes, Elizabeth formed herself to relax. She had an attitude problem and a short attention span. This wasn't the time to get distracted. Elizabeth couldn't afford the distraction. Today was the final game of the Quidditch season, and Gryffindor needed to win to keep the Inter-House Quidditch Cup for a third year.

When she opened her eyes, Elizabeth flew her broom above the pitch, looking for the Snitch. Her eye caught James Potter's uniform as he threw the Quaffle through one of the hoops, scoring another goal for Gryffindor.

 _"That's another ten points for Gryffindor thanks to James,"_ Lucy Weasley announced, enthusiasm and excitement in her voice. Her energy hadn't waned in the last hour. _"The brings the score to 210 to 170 in favor of Gryffindor."_

Mentally bantering herself, Elizabeth resumed her quest for the Snitch as she continued to fly above the Quidditch Pitch. As she slowly circled the pitch, Elizabeth crossed paths with Jason Davies, the Ravenclaw Seeker. He looked as bored as Elizabeth felt.

 _"Fawley, you bloody cheat!"_ Lucy shouted.

 _"Ms. Weasley!"_ Professor Aurora Sinistra said in warning.

 _"Right, sorry, professor,"_ Lucy muttered, her voice picked up by the microphone. _"Lily sends a Bludger back at Fawley, clipping him in the shoulder."_

Even after four years on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Elizabeth was still surprised by the number of Weasleys on the team. She was the only non-relative. Out of the six remaining players, four were Weasleys and two were Potters.

As Elizabeth scanned for the Snitch when she noticed a Bludger headed her way. She dodged by flying right before climbing in elevation. Below her, Fred Weasley II hit the Bludger towards Davies. He offered Elizabeth a wave before he sped off on his broom, leaving Elizabeth wearing a fond smile. Out of her teammates, Fred was probably her favorite. They were in the same year – along with James – and they both made the Quidditch team in their second year. Fred was one of Elizabeth's best friends, the other being Roxanne, Fred's twin sister and Elizabeth's roommate.

In her continued searched, a grin slowly formed on Elizabeth's lips when she spotted the Snitch flying near the stands holding the staff members. With an eye on the Snitch, Elizabeth maneuvered her broom towards the staff section. She didn't want to reveal the position of the Snitch before she was ready. While Elizabeth was a talented flier and she had the lean build to be an efficient Seeker, she rode an outdated broomstick. Elizabeth had a _Nimbus 2050_ , which she bought used before her second year. Davies owned a _Firebolt 360_ , the latest and greatest in brooms.

Petting the handle of her broom, Elizabeth scanned below, pin pointing the Snitch a foot above Headmistress Minerva McGonagall's head. This would be a risky endeavor, but it was a risk Elizabeth felt the need to take.

Exhaling, Elizabeth quickly entered into a steady dive with her blue eyes fixated on the golden Snitch as it buzzed around the headmistress' pointed hat. She tucked her knees in as she pressed herself against her broom. As she sped towards the Snitch, Elizabeth tuned the world around her out with her sole purpose to be catching the Snitch. As she neared the golden ball, she extended her left arm out.

Blue eyes narrowed as the Snitch zoomed from the headmistress to Professor Neville Longbottom. Nearing her destination, Elizabeth began to pull out of her dive. Urging her broom to go faster, Elizabeth felt her fingertips brush against the Snitch's wings before she snatched the golden ball. Below her, the headmistress and the Head of Gryffindor ducked in effort to avoid the chase between Elizabeth and the Snitch. With the Snitch in hand, Elizabeth smiled at Headmistress McGongall and Professor Longbottom as they composed themselves as they returned to their seats.

 _"And Black has caught the Snitch!"_ Lucy yelled, her voice ringing around the pitch. _"With that, Gryffindor wins the game 360 to 170. Gryffindor wins!"_

The Gryffindor section of the stands exploded into applause and cheers.

Steering her broom towards the pitch, Elizabeth joined in the celebration her teammates had started. She was hovering three above the ground when Fred pulled her into a hug.

"I knew you could do it!" he said, his breath warming Elizabeth's cheeks.

Elizabeth smiled, refusing to acknowledge her blush. Her crush on Fred was no one's business but her own – despite Roxanne and her big ideas of them becoming sisters when Elizabeth married Fred. Returning Fred's hug, Elizabeth ignored the way her heart skipped a beat – or ten – before pulling away.

Done with the hug, Elizabeth leapt off of her broom, landing on the grass below. She smiled as Gryffindor students poured onto the pitch to celebrate their victory – in both the game and retaining the Quidditch Cup for another year.

"Well done, Ms. Black," Madam Alicia Spinnet, the Flying Instructor and Quidditch Referee, said with a smile.

Elizabeth's smile widened as she held the Snitch out towards the woman.

Madam Spinnet took the Snitch with a wordless nod of thanks.

Watching as her teammates jumped around and were joined by their housemates, a sense of pride filled Elizabeth. It was these moments she loved playing Seeker and catching the Snitch. Quidditch was better than tennis.

* * *

This was written in response to _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
Orange, Prompt 2: Write about a Quidditch game.

* * *

Words: ~1,000


	11. Family Matters

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Romantic – Dominique Weasley/Sunny Longbottom  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; femslash; original character (Augusta "Sunny" Longbottom); mentions of het; Dominique is a lesbian; Bill and Fleur have trouble accepting their daughter; Alice Longbottom II is a brat; off-screen fighting; and Charlie Weasley is the best uncle ever  
 **Prompts:** (Character) Original character, and (Color) Pink

 **Summary:** After a fight with her parents, Dominique Weasley turned up at her girlfriend's house.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _010\. Family Matters_

Taking a deep breath, Dominique Weasley knocked the door. It was late at night, and there was no guarantee someone would hear her knock. Pulling her cloak tighter around herself, she tried and failed to fight off the eager to shiver as the wind blew.

A sigh of relief passed through when the door opened to relieve Hannah Longbottom. The woman was dressed in uniform robes and her blonde hair hung in loose curls around her shoulders. Her hazel eyes widened at the sight of Dominique.

"What are you doing outside?" the woman demanded as she ushered the young woman into her house. "Go sit in front of the fire."

Dominique followed directions, eager for the chance to warm herself. The need for warmth triumph her desires to see Sunny, for the time being. As soon as she was warmed, Dominique knew she would seek out her girlfriend.

She leaned back into the armchair as she relaxed in front of the fireplace.

"Here, sweetie," Hannah said, offering a mug to Dominique.

Dominique took the mug with a smile. It was warm to the touch, and it smelled like cider, her favorite drink. "Thank you," she muttered before taking a long sip.

Hannah remained standing in front of the young woman. She crossed her arms as she watched her. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

"I told my parents," Dominique answered, her voice cold and distant sounding.

Hannah felt her heart drop at the answer. Based on her tone and her presence here, it was easy to guess Dominique's parents hadn't reacted well to the news of her relationship with Sunny. "I'm glad you came here," Hannah told her in gentle tone.

"You always said I was welcoming," Dominique said, offering Hannah a small smile.

Silence fell over the pair with the only noise coming from the crackling of the fire. Dominique drank her cider as she tried to fight off the emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

"You should get to bed," Hannah stated, breaking the silence.

Nodding, Dominique stood up. "Do you mind," her voice trailed off as she nervously bit her lip.

"You know the way," Hannah said with a fond shake her head and a smile. "You're both seventeen, and you know what behavior is expected of you."

Dominique offered Hannah a wide smile before dashing off into the house, headed for her girlfriend's bedroom.

Hannah smiled fondly as she watched the young woman. It was plain as day to anyone how much Dominique loved and cared for her daughter. It filled Hannah with happiness to know her daughter had such a partner.

The smile began to fade as Hannah sat down in the armchair Dominique had vacated. She sighed, thinking about Dominique's family. This was a private family matter, and someone needed to know where the young woman was. Hannah wasn't sure who to write to. Off the top of her head, she was thinking either Ginny Potter or Hermione Weasley, but she wasn't sure. She didn't know who Dominique turned to when she needed comfort and who she was close to in her family.

Maybe Neville had an idea. After all, Neville was her professor. He knew which of Dominique's various cousins she was closest to. Hannah knew Dominique wasn't close with her older sister, Victorie.

With a sigh, Hannah forced herself to stand up before she headed to bed herself. She knew the house-elves would tend to the fire, and one would retrieve Dominique's empty mug when she put it down.

 **...**

When she woke up, Sunny was surprised to find someone else in her bed. Opening her eyes, she found herself looking at red hair of her girlfriend. Sunny smiled as she reached to push her girlfriend's hair off of her face. While she was happy to see Dominique, Sunny was wondering _why_ her girlfriend was here.

Knowing she would get answers later, she forced herself to roll out of bed. Grabbing her clothes for the bed, Sunny left her bedroom for the bathroom. She smiled in triumphant when the door opened. That meant she had beat her siblings this morning.

After she closed and locked the door behind her, Sunny quickly jumped in the shower. Most mornings she would savor the victory of being first to the bathroom, but this morning she didn't, wanting to return to her girlfriend's side. Sunny had some questions, and she knew Dominique had the answers, and she would answer when she was ready.

Once she was done with her shower, Sunny brushed her teeth and she pulled her long and curly blonde hair into a tight bun before she pulled on her clothes for the day. Her outfit was simple: a pair of blue skinny jeans with pink shirt and a dark gray cardigan. According to her parents, wizarding fashion had changed dramatic since they were teenagers. The changes were thanks to fashion designers like Cece Daniels, Lisa Turpin, and Tracey Davis.

When she was finally done, Sunny left the bathroom and she returned to her own bedroom. She dropped her dirty clothes in a laundry basket before she turned her attention to the bed. Dominique was sound asleep, curled around a spare pillow with her red hair fanned across another pillow. Sunny smiled at the sight of her girlfriend.

After a moment of contemplation, Sunny decided to let Dominique sleep as long as she needed. Gathering her textbooks and homework, Sunny quietly left her bedroom. She took her things to the library, where she neatly organized them on a table before she headed down to the dining room. Since it was weekday morning, Sunny knew her parents would be busy. Hannah was at The Leaky Cauldron, tending to her guests for a few hours, and Neville was at Hogwarts, working in his private greenhouse on a special project.

Yawning, Sunny smiled as she spotted the breakfast setup the house-elves had placed. There was steaming pot of a tea next to the sugar bowl, a dish of lemons, and a small pitcher of cream. Then there was a small plate of warm biscuits with a small jar of honey. On one side there was a plate of eggs and bacon, and on the other side of the biscuits was a plate with three stacked pancakes. Off to the side there was a stack of mail and a folded copy of _The Daily Prophet_.

Sunny walked over to the table with a bounce in her step. She poured herself a cup of tea. Based off of the smell, it was a black tea. She added two spoonfuls of sugar and a bit of cream. With a smile, Sunny took a sip before adding another spoonful of sugar.

Opening _The Daily Prophet_ , Sunny scanned the first page story of the latest law passed by the Ministry of Magic before flipping to the sports section. Ginny Potter always had a witty article about the latest Quidditch games. She usually wrote about English and Irish Quidditch League, focusing on the teams of Holyhead Harpies, Chudley Cannons, Puddlemere United, and Ballycastle Bats.

As she was reading about the Holyhead Harpies versus Appleby Arrows game, two other people joined Sunny at the table. She glanced up to her siblings, Frankie and Alice Longbottom. Frankie looked like he had just rolled out of bed, complete with messy pajamas and a bad case of bed head. Meanwhile, Alice looked picture perfect with dark blonde hair neatly braided, and dressed in a simple pink sweater dress with a pearl necklace.

"Good morning, Augusta," Alice said with a smile, displacing her perfectly straight and white teeth.

"Morning, Alice," Sunny said, rolling her eyes and setting the newspaper aside. Ever prim and proper, Alice insisted on using her given name instead of her nickname.

"Franklin, most you attend breakfast looking like that?" Alice asked, turning her attention to her twin brother.

Sunny hid a smirk behind her cup of tea as she pulled her plate of pancakes closer. If she didn't act quick enough Frankie would steal them.

"Yeah," Frankie replied, stealing a piece of bacon off of Sunny's plate.

"Mitzy," Alice called.

"How's cans Mitzy helps yous?" the house-elf asked as she popped into the room. Mitzy wore a light gray robe with the Longbottom crest on the left breast pocet.

"Can you please get me my usual breakfast, please?" Alice asked with a smile.

"Pancakes, bacon, and an omelet," Frankie said, reaching out to grab another piece of his older sister's bacon.

Sunny moved the plate out of her little brother's reach and she stuck her tongue out at him.

In response, Frankie stuck his tongue out.

Mitzy popped out without a word.

"Honestly, you two," Alice said with a sigh. "Please, act your age. Augusta, you should know better, and Franklin, you need to act like Heir Longbottom."

Sunny and Frankie shared a long and rolled their eyes simultaneously.

Before anyone could say anything, Mitzy returned, carrying a tray. Everything on the tray floated off. Placed in front of Alice was a plate of fixed fruit, a small bowl of granola, and a bowl of oatmeal. Frankie had a plate with six plates and a side of bacon, and an omelet on another plate.

"Thanks, Mitzy," Frankie said before he started eating.

"Can you have something ready for Dominique?" Sunny asked before Mitzy had the chance to leave.

"Yes, Miss Sunny-shiney," Mitzy replied before leaving the room.

"She should be calling you 'Augusta'," Alice said with a shake of her head.

"Drop it, sis," Sunny said, rolling her eyes and a hard edge in her voice. Sunny _liked_ her nickname. She decided it all on her own, by shortening her parents' nickname of 'Sunshine'. Sunny was named after her paternal great-grandmother and the woman who raised her dad. While Sunny loved and respected the woman, she hated her given name.

"What's Dominique doing over?" Frankie asked with a frown. As far as he knew, there were no plans in having friends over in the next two days. It was their parents' rule. Every break, the first three days were reserved for family only.

"Don't know," Sunny answered with a frown. "She was hurry when I woke up."

"There must be a good reason, knowing mother," Alice said, between bites of her oatmeal.

Sunny shrugged as she finished the last few bites of her pancakes. She looked over the pile of mail while nibbling on a piece of bacon. There was one letter addressed to her, one from Aunt Connie. She opened the letter from Aunt Connie, skimming over the words with a roll of her eyes. The woman still didn't understand Sunny had no interest in being matched a wizard. She crumpled the letter, ignoring the scandalized gasp from her sister.

"It's just Aunt Connie," Sunny said, shooting her sister an annoyed look.

"That's no excuse for such rude behavior," scolded Alice. Aunt Connie was her favorite relative. "You should be polite and write her back."

"Been there, done that," stated Sunny, rolling her eyes.

"Match making again?" Frankie asked with his mouthful.

"Yep," Sunny answered, taking a sip of her tea.

"Franklin!" Alice snapped. "Swallow before you speak."

In response, Frankie opened his mouth, showing his twin sister his chewed food.

"Franklin!" she shouted.

Sunny smiled fondly at their actions as she finished eating her eggs and bacon. After she finished eating, she drank the remainder of her tea. "I'll see you later," she said, getting up from the table. From the dining room, she headed back to the library.

Two hours later found Sunny scribbling away on her Transfigurations essay when Dominique sat down next to her.

"Good morning," Sunny greeted her girlfriend with a smile.

"Hey," Dominique said in a somber tone with a weak smile.

Sunny frowned, dropping her quill and pushing her homework to the side. "What's wrong?" she asked, placing her hands on top of Dominique's.

Dominique sighed. "My parents know," she replied, "and they're not happy."

Sunny's blue eyes widened. "I'm glad you came here," she told her girlfriend.

"Me, too," Dominique agreed.

"Do you want to write or floo-call someone?" Sunny asked. "Let someone know where you are."

"Maybe, later," Dominique said with a shrug.

Deciding to change the subject, Sunny pulled her homework back. "Have you started your Transfigurations essay?" she asked.

"I haven't had the chance," Dominique replied, picking up a piece of parchment that listed the essay requirements.

"Here," Sunny said, passing her girlfriend a quill, some parchment, and pot of blue ink.

Dominique took the items with a smile.

 **...**

Later that night, Dominique followed Sunny down to the dining room where Neville and Hannah were seated. The table was set for six people.

"Good evening, mom, dad," Sunny greeted them with a smile.

"Evening, Sunshine," Neville said.

Hannah smiled at her daughter and Dominique as Sunny took a seat.

"Thanks, again, for letting me stay, Mrs. Longbottom," Dominique said as she took a seat next to Sunny.

"It's no problem, Dominique," Hannah said, "and, please, call me Hannah."

"If you insist, Mrs. Longbottom," Dominique smiled.

"What were you girls up to today?" Neville asked.

"We started our homework, Professor Longbottom," Dominique replied, taking a sip of her water.

"You're allowed to call me Neville outside of school," he reminded his daughter's girlfriend. Out of all of his children's significant others, Dominique was by far his favorite. Sunny was lucky to have her.

"Of course, Mr. Longbottom."

A second later, Frankie and Alice entered the dining room.

"It's good to see you, mother," Alice said, taking a seat next to the woman. "How was your day, father?"

Sitting across from her, Frankie rolled his eyes at his twin sister's actions.

"Good, Alice," Hannah smiled at her youngest daughter.

"What is Dominique doing here?" Alice asked, folding her hands together. "I thought the rule of no company was still in place."

"Don't worry about it, Alice," Neville told his youngest daughter, his tone a little hard. Alice felt she had a right to know everything and anything she wanted.

"But, father, it's against the family rules," Alice stated, narrowing her hazel eyes.

"Leave it alone, Alice," Hannah said, agreeing with her husband.

Alice glanced between the pair with narrowed eyes. "Fine, I'm inviting Todd over tomorrow," she stated, crossing her arms.

"That won't be happening," Hannah said. "You know the first few days are reserved for family only."

"Then why is Dominique over?" Alice demanded, glaring at her mother.

"That is none of your business!" Sunny declared, placing her hand on Dominique's.

Dominique squeezed her girlfriend's hand, offering her a small smile.

"It is," Alice stated, looking at her older sister and her sister's girlfriend.

"Alice Marie, I told you to let it go," Neville scolded his daughter. "Your mother even told you."

"Let's begin dinner," Hannah suggested, summoning Mitzy to bring the food.

"Here's you's goes, Master Hanny," Mitzy said as she brought the floating dishes out with her. Each dish was gently placed on the table.

"Thank you, Mitzy," Dominique said.

The house-elf blushed before leaving the room.

Dinner was a rather awkward affair with Alice glaring at her parents, Sunny, and Dominique. She barely said ten words, preferring to ignore the others and poke at her food. Frankie happily conversed with the others, ignoring the elephant in the room. Unlike his twin, he didn't care so much. He knew Dominique would tell them with time, when she was ready.

When dinner was over, Dominique and Sunny cleared the table, taking the dishes to the kitchen for the house-elves to wash. Mitzy hovered, watching as the pair helped cleaning. Watching her little masters clean made her nervous, but she knew Master Neville and Master Hannah liked when their children did simple chores around the house.

After they were done with the dishes, Dominique and Sunny went back to the library to finish some of their homework. Sunny had finished the first draft of her Transfigurations essay, and she wanted to start her Ancient Runes packet. Dominique was looking over her girlfriend's essay before writing a letter to send to her Uncle Charlie. After thinking about it, she decided to send a letter to her favorite relative, detailing the fight with her parents and her current whereabouts.

 **...**

Two days later found Charlie Weasley knocking on the door. Hannah Longbottom smiled as she let him in.

"I spoke to Bill and Fleur," he said, stepping into the house, "then I set my mom on them."

"That's good to hear," Hannah said with a laugh. "Let me get Dominique." Hannah left Charlie in the sitting room as she walked up to the library, where Dominique and Sunny were working on their homework.

Hannah smiled when she spotted the pair peering over the same book together. "Dominique," she called. Both young women looked up. "Charlie's here."

Dominique's eyes lit up and she smiled, eagerly jumping to her feet and running out of the library. Sunny and Hannah followed behind her.

When Dominique spotted Charlie, she squealed before launching herself into his arms. Charlie laughed, catching her and pulling her close.

"I knew you'd come," she whispered.

"Always," Charlie promised.

"How are my parents?" Dominique asked, pulling away a little.

Charlie sighed. "They're coming around," he answered. "Bill is closer than Fleur, but I sent my mom over."

Dominique laughed, picturing her Grandmama Molly scolding the pair.

"They _do_ love you," Charlie reminded her.

"But they're having trouble accepting me," Dominique added, rolling her eyes.

"There's that," her uncle said, "and there's the fact that if they don't get over themselves and their issues, than they'll loose out _on you_."

Dominique managed a half smile.

"No matter, what, you have me," Charlie promised, "and you have my parents."

"You, also, have me," added Sunny, holding out her hand.

Taking the offered hand, Dominique smiled at her girlfriend, pulling her close.

* * *

This was written in response to the following: (1) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ and (2) _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
(1) _Colors of the Rainbow_ – Orange, Prompt 1: Write about an original character.  
(2) _Shop for a Prompt_ – (Color) Pink

* * *

Words: ~3,000


	12. Rush of Emotions

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Familial – Andromeda Tonks, Teddy Lupin, and the Potter family  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; mentions of het; and feelings  
 **Prompt:** (Hufflepuff Character) Teddy Lupin

 **Summary:** It's the first of September, and for Teddy Lupin that means one thing: he's off to his first year at Hogwarts.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _011\. Rush of Emotions_

When the first of September dawned with clear skies and a shining sun, Teddy Lupin awoke with feeling nervous and excited. It was an important day. He was off to Hogwarts. Today was the first day of his magical education.

After checking over everything in his truck and getting dressed in muggle clothes, Teddy headed downstairs to have breakfast with his grandma, Andromeda Tonks. A sense of sadness filled Teddy at the thought. This would be his last meal with Grandma Andromeda in a few months. After today, the next time they ate together would be in December when Teddy returned for the winter holidays.

Forcing a smile onto his head, Teddy walked into the kitchen where he found a scene of chaos as Grandma Andromeda flipped pancakes, Uncle Harry diced fruit, and Aunt Ginny wrangled her three children.

"Good morning, Teddy," Ginny Potter greeted with a smile as she handed her daughter a cup of orange juice.

"Morning, Aunt Ginny," Teddy said, returning her smile with an honest smile of his own. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We came to see you off," Aunt Ginny answered, taking a fork from James. "James Sirius, what have I told you about stabbing your brother?"

Watching Aunt Ginny scolded her eldest son helped Teddy relax. While he would miss this and these people, he would treasure these memories and this sense of family. Teddy walked over to the counter where he poured himself a glass of orange juice.

"Good morning, grandma," Teddy said, wrapping an arm around the older woman.

Andromeda smiled down at him as she returned the hug. There were a few tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Teddy asked, his hair changing from brown to blue.

"You've grown so much," Andromeda replied, her tone filled with emotions. "I can't help but return Nymphadora's first trip."

Teddy wrapped his second arm around his grandma. While he knew grandma loved his mom, thinking about Nymphadora made her sad. Teddy hated seeing his grandma sad. Grandma Andromeda was meant to be happy and smiling.

"Why don't you greet Harry and play with your cousins?" Andromeda suggested, patting her grandson on the back.

Teddy nodded, stepping back from their hug. Turning, he found Uncle Harry mixing various fruits together in a fruit salad.

"Good morning, Uncle Harry," Teddy greeted his second favorite relative – grandma was the first favorite and no one could _ever_ take her spot.

"Morning, Teddy," Harry Potter said with a smile, reaching down to ruffle his godson's hair as it changed from blue to sunny yellow.

After indulging his godfather for a few seconds, Teddy batted the man's hand away before changing his hair style from messy to spiky.

"Are you excited?" Uncle Harry asked, smile still in place.

"Yeah," Teddy answered, a wave of butterflies filling his stomach. The nervousness started to set in again.

"What House do you want to be in?" asked Harry, setting the bowl of fruit salad aside. It was ready.

Wordlessly, Teddy shrugged before turning his attention to his cousins. "Lily, do you want more juice?" he asked.

Lily Luna Potter looked between her empty sippy cup and her older cousin with wide green eyes. She nodded, holding out her cup. "P'ease," she added, casting a quick glance at her mom.

Taking the cup, Teddy filled it with orange juice before putting the lid back on and handing it to his three-year-old cousin.

"T'anks," Lily said with a smile before dripping the sippy cup to her lips.

"Teddy, do have any pumpkin juice?" James Sirius Potter asked with a frown.

Before Teddy could answer, a sippy cup hit the back of James' head.

"He doesn't," Albus Severus Potter answered. "'Cause, 'member, he's al-gic to pum'kins."

James' eyes widened. He forgot that Teddy couldn't have pumpkin juice, and Aunt Andromeda didn't keep any in her house. "Mom!" he shouted, bringing his hand up to rub the back of his neck.

"Yes, James?" Aunt Ginny asked, setting the table.

"Al hit me with his cup!" he said, trying to start crying fake tears.

"Albus Severus Potter!" Ginny said, turning to her youngest son. "What have we said about throwing things?"

"Not to," Albus replied.

"You will be punished," Ginny told him, "when we get home."

Albus nodded, smiling. At least he would get to see Teddy off.

Pouting at the lack of punishment, James stuck his tongue out at Albus. Unfortunately for James, his mom saw him.

"James Sirius Potter," Aunt Ginny said, "you'll be joining him."

Albus beamed. At least he wouldn't be in trouble all on his own.

"Who wants pancakes?" Uncle Harry asked, drawing everyone's attention. Using his wand, he finished setting the table, complete with a large platter of pancakes and a bowl of fruit salad.

"Me!" all three of his own children said.

"Teddy, how many?" Harry asked, laughing at his own children.

"Three."

A minute later, Teddy was handed a plate with three buttered pancakes.

"Thank you, Uncle Harry," he said, reaching for the maple syrup. He poured a generous amount on top of his pancakes before he started eating. Around him, Harry passed a plate to each of his own children before serving the adults.

When Teddy finished his pancakes, he quickly scooped some fruit salad onto his plate. His grandma wouldn't allow him seconds without having some fruit first.

"Can I have some more, please?" Teddy asked. Looking up, he found Uncle Harry was busy feeding Lily.

"Of course," Grandma Andromeda answered.

Teddy passed the plate to his grandma. "Two, please," he requested.

Andromeda placed two pancakes on the plate before returning it to Teddy. "You can less syrup this time," she stated.

Sighing, Teddy did as he was told. While it was phrased as an option, he knew it was an order. His grandma liked to monitor his sugar intake and make him brush his teeth. If he got another cavity, he would get to visit Aunt Hermione's parents at the dentistry instead of taking a potion. As far as Grandma Andromeda was concerned, if he wanted to keep all his teeth than he needed to take good care of them.

Breakfast passed too quickly for Teddy's liking. When everyone was done eating, grandma waved her wand, spending all of the dishes to the sink before they started watching themselves.

"It's time to go," grandma announced, pulling on her outer robe.

Teddy headed up to his bedroom to retrieve his trunk. Casting a long glance around his room, Teddy was overcome with several emotions – nerves, excitement, anxiety, loss, and terror. It was an overwhelming rush of emotions. Going to Hogwarts was a _huge_ step, and, in all honesty, Teddy wasn't sure if he was ready for it. Why did Hogwarts have to start at age eleven? What was wrong with age thirteen or fourteen?

Sighing, Teddy took a seat on his bed, reaching to gather his courage. He had to have courage, right? His dad was courageous and brave. It made sense for his son to, right?

A knock on the door drew Teddy's attention. Looking up, he saw Uncle Harry.

"Can I come in?" his godfather asked, his tone gentle and his voice low.

"Sure, I guess," Teddy answered with a shrug. He switched his gaze to his hands. For some reason, he didn't want to look at his uncle. It was the same feeling he had when grandma got him in trouble.

Harry walked into the room and took a seat on the bed, next to Teddy. "What's going on?" he asked.

Teddy remained silent for a minute or two, contemplating his answer – tell the truth or lie. Lying would be easiest, but he was raised to tell the truth. "I'm scared," Teddy replied, his voice above a whisper.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Harry told him, wrapping an arm around Teddy's shoulders. "I remember I was scared."

Teddy's head snapped up, his eyes wide as he stared at his godfather. It was hard to imagine the Great Harry Potter – the Boy-Who-Lived, the Man-Who-Won, and a fearless auror – being scared.

Laughing, Harry squeezed his godson's shoulder. "I was new to magic," he explained. "When Vernon dropped me off at King's Cross, I had no idea how to find the platform. I would have been lost if I hadn't ran into Molly."

As he listened to his godfather, Teddy perked up. His nerves had calmed much. There was still one thing he was scared of. "What if I'm a Slytherin?" he asked.

"Nothing," Harry answered with a shrug. "I will love you, no matter what. Besides, your grandma was a Slytherin."

At the reminder, Teddy felt his nerves calm. He had forgotten Grandma Andromeda was a Slytherin. She didn't talk about her own Hogwarts days that much, preferring to focus on her daughter's or listen to someone else's stories.

"Right you ready to go?" Harry asked, standing up.

Nodding, Teddy leapt to his feet. "We should hurry," he said, grabbing his truck. "I don't want to be late."

The pair walked downstairs where Ginny and Andromeda were waiting with the children. Teddy walked over to his grandma to side-long apparate to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. The only ways to reach the platform were through the muggle side of King's Cross and apparition.

When they arrived onto the platform, Teddy's eyes widened at the sight of the long, scarlet Hogwarts Express. It was like the stories, but at the same time it was _so much_ more. Looking at it, Teddy found excitement growing. Caught up in the train, he was vaguely aware of the arrival of Harry, Ginny, and their children behind him.

"What do you have to go?" demanded James in a whiny voice. "I don't want you to leave."

Turning to his cousin, Teddy offered him a small smile. "I'll write," he promised, "and if you like, I can send you special letters."

James' eyes widened at the thought, and eagerly nodded. At the age of five, James was beginning to read, and the idea of his own letters was _amazing_. It was something he wouldn't have to share with either of his siblings.

Smiling, Teddy pulled his cousin into a hug before moving onto hugging both Albus and Lily. Each of them was sad to see him go, and Lily was crying. After giving Aunt Ginny a hug, Teddy turned to his godfather.

"I'm gonna miss you," Harry whispered in his ear, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Me, too," Teddy said.

"And remember, it doesn't matter where you're Sorted," his godfather said as they separated.

"My turn, young man," declared his grandma, her voice breaking with emotion. There were tears streaming down her face.

Teddy threw himself into her arms.

The pair shared a long hug before Teddy pulled back. "I'll send you a letter tomorrow," he promised.

"I look forward to it," Andromeda said with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you, too, grandma," Teddy said.

"Go on," his grandma said with a laugh, waving her hands. "Go find a compartment and make some friends."

On cue the whistle blew, signaling the time. The train was scheduled to depart in a few minutes.

Grabbing ahold of his truck, Teddy walked onto the train. He passed a few compartments before finding an empty one, which he claimed for himself. Since he couldn't lift his truck, Teddy didn't see the point in trying to store it in the overhead area. Instead, he pulled it up against the window. Before taking a seat, he tried and failed to open the window.

Looking out the window, Teddy watched as students ran onto the train. It took him a few minutes, but he spotted his family. Unknown if they could see him, Teddy waved.

All too soon, the train was pulling out of the station, headed to Hogwarts. Barely a minute into the journey, the compartment door opened.

Glancing over, Teddy found himself staring at a girl around his age with dark hair, grey eyes, and pale skin. She was dressed in black robes, and she was breathing heavy, like she was winded from running.

"Do – you mind," she said in between pants, "if I – sit here?"

"Go head," Teddy answered with a smile.

Slowly, the girl returned the smile as she took a seat on the bench across from him.

The pair sat in silence for a minutes as they watched the city of London speed by out the window.

"I almost thought I wouldn't make it," the girl declared with a smile.

"If you missed the Express, you could also floo to Hogwarts," Teddy told her. It was one of his countless fears in the days leading up to his departure. Grandma Andromeda made plans for each fear, trying to lessen his worries.

"If I missed it, I wouldn't have come," the girl said, crossing her arms as her voice grew softer.

Teddy frowned. Why wouldn't she be able to come to Hogwarts? "I'm Teddy Lupin," he said, holding out his hand.

The girl stared at his hand for a minute before grabbing it and shaking. "I'm Delphini Riddle," she said, "but you can call me Delph."

* * *

This was written in response to _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge forum.  
Yellow, Prompt 1: Write about a Hufflepuff.

* * *

Words: ~2,300


	13. A Letter to Her Sister

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Familial – Molly "M.J." Weasley II and Lucy Weasley  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; mentions of het; mentions of femslash; mentions of miscarriages; pregnancy out of wedlock; single woman is pregnant and keeping the baby; original character (Francis Lewis) is a jerk; and Molly Weasley is the world's best grandmother  
 **Prompt:** (Character) Molly Weasley II

 **Summary:** Despite never being close, M.J. Weasley has always written a letter to her younger sister on the first of September. This year is no different, but this letter contained important information.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _012\. A Letter to her Sister_

Picking up her quill, Molly Weasley II, commonly known as M.J., found herself at a loss of words. She ran her tongue along the backside of her teeth as she tried to think. This was an unusually feeling for her. Words were M.J.'s life.

How did she begin to write a letter to her younger sister? This was the same sister M.J. had a strained relationship with. The two had never been close. Lucy was three years younger, and she had an endless source of energy. According to their father, Lucy took over the younger versions of his brothers, Fred and George – only Lucy was louder, more protective, and possessed stubborn streak a mile wide.

Taking a deep breath, M.J. thought about what she wanted to write as she fingered her quill. Lucy was about to begin her seventh year at Hogwarts. Despite their strained relationship, M.J. wrote a long letter every first of September to her little sister – even when they attended Hogwarts together. While Lucy's replies began shorter over the years, it was an important and valuable tradition to M.J. and one she refused to deviate from. Maybe writing this letter meant more to M.J. than Lucy, but M.J. liked to believe Lucy valued the letter.

There hadn't been too changes to M.J.'s life since she last saw Lucy at their parents' house late week. While the sisters might not communicate between themselves, Percy and Audrey were happy to update each of their daughters on how the other one was doing.

A smile formed on M.J.'s lips. There was one _huge_ change that M.J. had neglected to tell anyone. She wanted to wait until she was three months ago before announcing her pregnancy. When she was younger, M.J. had witnessed her mother miscarry twice – once before Lucy and once after. Her parents were crushed, and everyone knew why. After seeing it twice, M.J. decided it was something she wanted to avoid doing herself.

And there was another more selfish reason M.J. was keeping it a secret. Francis Lewis had left her the moment he learned about her pregnancy, stating he wanted nothing to do with her or the baby and he would forever deny the child was his.

Pressing the quill to the parchment, M.J. began to write. It was mindless small talk in the beginning – about M.J.'s job as a freelance reporter, her latest article in _The Quibbler_ , how her apartment still didn't feel like home, and the sunny weather.

When she finished writing about the trivial matters, M.J. paused for a moment. How did she want to tell her sister about her pregnancy?

Thinking, M.J ran her tongue against the back of her teeth. In the two months since Francis left her, M.J. hadn't _really_ told anyone about their break-up. She didn't want to lie about the situation, so she didn't mention their break up status. A lot people, her parents included, were convinced M.J. and Francis were destined to be together since they started dating during their Hogwarts years and they remained together.

Done thinking about it, M.J. resumed writing her letter.

 _I haven't_ _actually_ _told anyone this, but Francis and I broke up two months ago. It was simple reason: I'm pregnant and he doesn't want a family. So, we went our separate ways. In all honesty, I'm not really sure who broke with who, but I know I made the right decision._

 _But that doesn't change how scared I am about being pregnant and single. No one outside of my healer and Francis know about my pregnancy, and I don't know how to tell mother and father. You know how much father loves Francis._

After writing about her pregnancy, M.J. decided to finish the letter by offering her sister study advice for her NEWTs in June – which included reviewing everything from first year onwards, but focusing most of her studying on the materiel from sixth and seventh year. When she done signing her name, she prepared the letter for sending via Tangerine, her old and faithful barn owl.

M.J. watched as Tangerine flew out of sight, headed across the island towards Hogwarts. Several feelings raged inside of her, mostly nervousness and hopefulness. She was eager to hear back from her sister, as much as she dreaded it.

 **...**

A reply from Lucy came two days later, on Saturday. Instead of sending a conventional letter like _a normal person_ , Lucy showed up in person.

"What are you doing here?" M.J. demanded when she opened her front door to find her seventeen year old sister waiting for.

"Visiting you, duh!" Lucy Weasley replied, walking into her older sister's apartment uninvited. She rolled her hazel eyes, smiling fondly at her sister.

M.J. stared at her younger sister for a few seconds before closing the door. She shook her head, typical Lucy, but she found herself smiling. "I meant," she said, following after her sister, "what are you doing here _in person_?"

"I got your letter," Lucy answered, peeling an orange. She was sitting at the small dining room table.

"That explains _so much_ about your visit," M.J. said, her voice heavy with sarcasm, "because a _normal person_ sends a letter."

"You know I strive to be anything but normal," her little sister said with a shrug as she broke the orange into slices.

At a loss of words, M.J. shook her head before taking the seat across from her sister.

Something of tense and awkward silence fell over the pair.

"So, how far along are you?" Lucy asked, breaking the silence as she started eating her orange slices. That was Lucy: blunt and straight to the point.

"Fourteen weeks," M.J. answered, grabbing a banana from her bowl of fruit.

"That means your due date is around March or April, right?"

"My healer says the twenty-ninth of March."

"When are you going to tell mom and dad?" Leave it to Lucy to ask the difficult questions.

"I haven't decided," M.J. shook her head. "Probably _after_ I tell grandma."

Lucy smiled in agreement. "That's a good idea," she agreed. "She'll make mom and dad see reason – like she did with Dominique."

M.J. nodded, remembering the event in question. Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur hadn't reacted well to learning Dominique was a lesbian and she was in a relationship with Sunny Longbottom, her best friend.

"Grandma is eager to have great-grand-babies," Lucy added with a fond smile. "She keeps pestering Teddy and Victorie about marriage, and she keeps offering Delph and Belle to a muggle clinic for sperm."

The two sisters shared a laugh, remembering these events from the last family get together at the Burrow. Despite being 71, Molly Weasley was still the strong family matriarch, ready to feed an army and ready to love anyone who needed it.

"I'm glad you're here," M.J. whispered, smiling gently at her little sister.

Reaching out, Lucy placed her sticky hand onto of her sister's. "There's nowhere else I would rather be," she told her older sister.

* * *

 **Note**

Molly "M.J." Weasley II: "M.J." simply stands for Molly Junior, and most people call her that – exceptions include her parents, Grandma Molly, and Andromeda Tonks.

Molly Weasley I is 71: Molly's birthday is unknown, but it is known she was born sometime between September 1949 and August 1950, thereby making her 71 in September 2021.

* * *

This was written in response to _Build Your Cube Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
White: (Character) Molly Weasley II

* * *

Words: ~1,200


	14. Memories versus Feelings

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Romantic – Neville Longbottom/Daphne Greengrass  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; and het  
 **Prompts:** (Word) Tremble, and (Spell) Patronus

 **Summary:** In her quest to become Neville's wife, Daphne Greengrass found herself trying to master the Patronus Charm without much luck.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _013\. Memories versus Feelings_

Tightening her grip on her wand, Daphne Greengrass tried to think of a happy memory. If a bunch of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws could cast the Patronus Charm, surely she would. While it was a complicated charm, it was possible to cast at her age – bloody Harry Potter casted it at thirteen.

Several memories flew through Daphne's mind: the birth of her little sister, Astoria; her first bout of accidental magic at six when she turned her governess' hair emerald green; the morning of her eleventh birthday when she received her Hogwarts acceptance letter; and the moment the Sorting Hat declared Slytherin in her first year.

A frown formed on Daphne's lips as she thought. While those were happy memories, they weren't _the_ right happy memory. Refusing to give up, Daphne turned her attention back to her notes. There wasn't a lot of material relating to the Patronus Charm available in the Hogwarts library – both the student section and the Restricted Section.

Most of Daphne's notes were observations of others casting the charm. While numerous people were able to cast the charm in the uncorporeal form of silver misty cloud, she had noticed a startling amount of her classmates were able to conjure the corporeal form, which took the shape and form an animal. According to one book in the entire Hogwarts library, the corporeal Patronus was a magical guardian. That same book said that a corporeal Patronus was _"a project of all your most positive feelings."_

Done reviewing her notes, she nodded to herself. Her earlier conclusion was correct. She hadn't found the correct happy memory. She needed one was that was filled with _most positive feelings_ she had. That was something Daphne would need to think about. While it might not be the most powerful positive emotion filled memory she had, Daphne focused on the memory of her sister's birth.

 _"Expecto Patronum!"_ she shouted, twirling her wand in a circle. A weak silvery mist was produced from the end of her wand. A small smile of triumph crossed her lips while it wasn't _even close_ to the corporeal Patronus, it was _something._

This was a start.

The smile quickly turned into a frown.

While this was a start, it wasn't _enough_. She _needed_ to master this spell and produce a corporeal Patronus.

The need to achieve this task was most than Daphne wanting to master the spell. It was about her future with the man she loved.

Her left hand curled into a fist at the thought of being separated from Neville Longbottom. It was well within Augusta Longbottom's power to do so, and Daphne loathed the older woman for that – and more. Her hand started to tremble at the very _thought_ of the woman and the power she had over them – and Neville, most importantly.

Augusta Longbottom demanded a strong and loyal witch for her grandson. His future wife needed to be able to protect their children without relaying on Neville or their extended family. Those demands were the reason Daphne hadn't sought out assistance in her quest to master this particular spell.

As she thought about Augusta Longbottom blocking her future with Neville, an idea began to form in Daphne's mind. When casting a Patronus, it was about _positive feelings_ , not a happy memory.

A true smile appeared on Daphne's face as she started thinking and blue eyes widened in delight.

She was going about it the wrong way!

Instead of focusing on a memory, she needed to focus on the feelings. Outside of her sister and her best friend, Neville was the person that made Daphne the happiest. There was _nothing_ she wanted more than a future with Neville. In her mind, that future included a happy and loving marriage with at least two children – a son named Franklin Joseph and a daughter named Primrose Alice.

Focusing on _that_ feeling, Daphne raised her right hand. _"Expecto Patronus!"_ she shouted, twirling her wand around in a spiral. A stronger version of silvery mist erupted the end of her wand. Blue eyes sparkling and smiling, Daphne nodded to herself. Now _this_ was a start.

While it wasn't a corporeal Patronus, she was already seeing an improvement.

* * *

This was written in response to the following: (1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ , and (2) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
(1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ – Blue: (Word) Tremble  
(2) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ – Yellow, Prompt 3: (Word) Patronus

* * *

Words: ~700


	15. Their Future Together

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Romantic – Draco Malfoy/Ginny Weasley  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; het; and not Weasley friendly  
 **Prompt:** (Pairing) Draco/Ginny, and (Slytherin Character) Draco Malfoy

 **Summary:** The students have returned after Winter Holidays, and Ginny Weasley was expecting the worse from Draco Malfoy.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _014\. Their Future Togehter **  
**_

"Have you told them?" she asked, her voice soft and resigned. Her tone lacked all hints of accusations, slowly dwelled and faded from previous conversations.

Draco Malfoy walked into their classroom and sat down next to Ginny Weasley on the desk. This was the first time they had been together, jus the two of them, in a few weeks. The last time was two days before the Winter Holidays, which Draco went home for and Ginny remained in the castle with Harry Potter for.

"What makes you think I didn't?" Draco asked, his voice soft. He stared at the redhead.

"Well, you're here, aren't you?" Ginny asked, shaking her head. "If you told, you would either be off with a healer at St. Mungo's being checked for curses and potions or you would be at home. I know how your father feels about my family." She laughed, sounding bitter.

Reaching out, Draco took ahold of her hand. "I did tell them," he whispered.

Ginny's head snapped over at him. "Really?" she asked, her voice full of hope.

He nodded, explaining, "My father had Healer Fawley over within the hour."

Jerking her hand away, Ginny stood from the desk. "What did he find?" she demanded, her eyes narrowed.

"Nothing," Draco answered, sliding off of the desk.

"Then what?" she asked, her voice soft and her eyes pleasing.

"I'm done hiding," Draco replied, walking over to her. "And I think you're forgetting who has the real power between by parents."

Ginny tilted her head, silently asking, as she allowed Draco to wrap his arms around.

He smiled. "My mother wants me to be happy," he explained. "It took her a day, but she accepted our relationship and she's thrilled I love you." He laughed a little, "She's already planning our wedding."

Slowly, Ginny returned his smile before pulling him in for a kiss.

"My mother wants a summer wedding at the Manor," Draco told her. "So, Ginerva Molly Weasley – Ginny, will you marry me?" he asked, whispering in her ear.

Brown eyes widened before she shouted, "Yes!" Because all of Ginny Weasley's new dreams and desires were coming true. She was getting a new family.

As one could predict, her family hasn't reacted well to the news of her dating Draco Malfoy. Her dad had been shocked silent before he went out to his workshop, where he shut the world out, and her mom had shouted and raved about Ginny's old dreams of becoming Mrs. Ginny Potter, the wife of Harry Potter. Out of her brothers, Ginny hadn't heard anything from Ron or Percy in a few months. Bill and Fleur sent a letter, but nothing else, while Charlie continued to write her and George was distant. At least she still had one of her brothers – two, if Harry counted, and as far as Ginny was concerned he did count as a brother.

Draco responded by pulling her into a long kiss.

When they separated, he leaned his forehead against hers. "I love you," he whispered.

"What day is your mother thinking?" Ginny asked, eager for their wedding day. From what Draco had said, it sounded like it was only six to eight months away.

"The twenty-first of June," Draco answered. "Bonding on the Summer Solstice will strength our union."

Ginny nodded, her mind whirling. That was six days after their graduation – and less than five months away. "I can't wait!" she declared before pressing her lips against her fiance's.

* * *

This was written in response to the following: (1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ and (2) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
(1) _Build Your Cube_ – Red: (Pairing) Draco/Ginny  
(2) _Colors of the Rainbow_ – Green, Prompt 1: Write about a Slytherin.

* * *

Words: ~600


	16. Little Brother

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Familial – Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and the Granger family  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; and family fluff  
 **Prompts:** (Word) Crayon; and (Setting) Childhood

 **Summary:** Hermione Granger was excited, her parents were bringing home her new little brother.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _015\. Little Brother_

Humming to herself, Hermione Granger tried to tune out the children around her as she colored. Her classmates were noisy, and their endless chattered irritated her. In an effort to distract herself, Hermione did as her mummy taught her – humming. According to her mummy, it helped tune out the world around.

Hermione paused her humming for a few seconds as she tried the green crayon for the brown crayon. She frowned, eyeing the picture. This wasn't one of her better family portraits, but she wanted to draw a new one, including Grammy Carson and Nana Granger and her new little brother. She hadn't met him yet, but Hermione had seen plenty of pictures from both of her parents and her grandmas.

Rolling the brown crayon between her fingers, Hermione mentally went over her picture's plans. Only three people had brown hair – her, her daddy, and Nana Granger. Her mummy had blonde hair, and Grammy Carson had graying blonde hair. She would use the yellow crayon for her mummy's hair and both the yellow and gray crayons for her grammy's hair. Then her new little brother, Harry, had black hair.

After the hair, Hermione would color the eyes – brown for her and daddy, gray for nana, blue for grammy and mummy, and green for her brother.

With her plans in mind, Hermione resumed humming as she started coloring again. As she spun the crayon around to form her curls, Hermione's tongue poked out between her lips as she tried hard to concentrate. A few minutes later, Hermione discarded the brown crayon in favor of the yellow one before switching to the gray one and trading for the black crayon. When she finished coloring the hair, Hermione started on the eyes – with the brown crayon first, then the blue one, and finishing up with the green.

Pausing in her work for a moment, Hermione returned all the crayons to the box. With a critical eye, Hermione turned her attention to her drawing. It showed six people – Nana Granger, daddy, her, her new little brother, mummy, and Grammy Carson – in front of the family's large house with green eyes, blue skies, and a shining sun. In order to help the family adjust, nana and grammy moved closer with grammy moving into the first-floor guest room and nana buying the house next door.

Satisfied with the drawing, Hermione smiled brightly. It was perfect. Hopefully everyone else would like it as much as she did. As carefully as she could, Hermione put the drawing in her homework folder. It should be protected until she got home.

Done with her drawing, Hermione turned her attention to her math workbook. She picked up her pencil and she quickly got to work solving the problems that she was assigned for homework. According to nana, Harry was coming home with her parents today. She was _so excited_ that she could hardly wait. Hermione had wanted a sibling for _years_ – since she was two or three years old, according to nana.

And, now, at the age of eight, Hermione was getting a little brother. While they were nearly the same age, Harry was ten months younger than her.

Humming a happy tune, Hermione's brown eyes traced the movements of her pencil as she quickly worked her way through the page of simply addition and subtraction problems.

* * *

This was written in response to the following: (1) _Climb to the Top of Mount Potter Challenge_ , and (2) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum.  
(1) _Climb to the Top of Mount Potter_ – Prompt 01: (Word) Crayon  
(2) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ – Yellow, Prompt 2: Write about a child or a sense from a canonical character's childhood.

* * *

Words: ~500


	17. Betting Pool

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Friendship – James Potter and Sirius Black  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; het; and not Lily Evans friendly  
 **Prompt:** (Character) Sirius Black

 **Summary:** The day finally came. James Potter promised to leave Lily Evans alone.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _016\. Betting Pool_

Watching as James Potter wondered over to Lily Evans, Sirius Black rolled his eyes. His best friend was an idiot hopelessly in love with the wrong girl. James had hopelessly pursued Evans for five years now. Back in their first year, James merely wanted to be friends with the pretty redheaded girl. In their third year, James fancied himself in love with her and he became determined to date her and make her fall in love with him.

As James' best friend, Sirius did his best to support his friend in his hopeless endeavors to win the favor – and eventual love – of Lily Evans, despite his own personal feelings on the matter. While Sirius would admit Evans was smart and beautiful, he wouldn't say she was the nicest person. When it came to her closest friends, Evans was blind. She noticed _every_ time James and Sirius targeted Severus Snape, but she failed to notice everything Snape did to them that led to James and Sirius childishly retaliating.

With a sigh, Sirius tried to turn his attention to his textbook. There was a big Charms test tomorrow, and he ranked it more important than watching James try and fail to woo Evans.

"When will you learn, Potter?" Lily Evans shouted, drawing the attention of everyone in the Gryffindor common room, Sirius included. "I want _nothing_ to do with you!"

James stared at Evans for a few seconds, his eyes hardening. "You could simply say no, Evans," he said, his tone growing cold.

"Like you understand the meaning of the word no," Evans spat, glaring at him. "You _never_ leave me alone – no matter how mean I am to."

Listening to her words, James' eyes turned cold. "I know the meaning of no," he stated, "but _you've_ never used the word no." He shook his head, a look of disgust growing on his face. "All you're ever said was to leave you alone or your friends alone."

Evans' face slowly turned red, a shade that clashed with her hair. "I _have_ told you no, Potter, several times!" she declared.

"You never have," Alice Monroe stated, seated on the couch next to Evans. She turned red when Evans' head snapped towards her. "You've asked James to leave you, and left. You asked him not to talk to you, and he did."

"You've even told him to drop dead," added Hazel Brown from across the common room. "He didn't _actually_ do that, but he left you and your friends alone."

Evans' face grew redder as she looked around the common room, taking in everyone that was paying attention to her conversation with James.

"Well, he should know not to talk to me, by now," Evans stated, crossing her arms.

"As you wish, Evans," James stated. "I'll leave you alone from now on." Without another word, James turned and walked back to his friends.

An awkward tension filled the common room.

"Who had April of fifth year in betting pool?" demanded Avery St. Claire, a seventh year.

"Let me check," answered Valeria Pierces, pushing her glasses up on her nose as she thumbed through a large book that Sirius recognized at _The Log_ , which was a betting book of Gryffindor.

According to house legend, _The Log_ was started by Regine White over the Sorting of Haeric Gryffindor when several students started waging on his future House. From that bet onwards, most were recorded in _The Log_. Only the logger, the appointed keeper of _The Log_ , could decide official bets.

After a minute, Valeria made a sound of triumph. "Marlene McKinnon," she answered.

A murmur broke through the common room. Up until this September, Marlene McKinnon was Evans' best female friend. They had a following out sometime between the end of fourth year and the start of fifth year.

"What's my prize?" Marlene McKinnon asked, walking forward with a large smirk.

"One and twenty-three galleons, ten sickles, and five knut," Valeria said, reading from the book, "and several items." She quickly started writing a list. No one other than the logger was allowed to read from the book.

"Awesome," Marlene said with a smile.

"You will receive everything within a fortnight," Valeria promised, handing the list of items to Marlene. "I need to owl Gringotts."

Marlene's eyes sparkled as she read over the list. "Hey, Potter," she shouted, glancing over at him. "How 'bout a double date? You, me, Black, and Pierces."

"Depends," James answered, "who would my date be, you or Pierces?"

"How'd you know it's not Black?" she asked.

James opened and closed his mouth a few times before shaking his head.

Next to his best friend, Sirius stared at Marlene with wide eyes. "Sorry, Prongs," he said, "I just don't feel that way."

Smiling, James hit his best friend on the back. "I feel the same way," he declared.

Most of the common room erupted into laughter as James and Sirius turned to start at one another. During the laughter, Marlene crossed the common room over to James and Sirius.

"I was thinking you take me, James," she said with a smile, "since I know Valeria likes Sirius."

* * *

This was written in response to _Build Your Cube Challenge_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.  
White: (Character) Sirius Black

* * *

Words: ~900


	18. A Magical Moment

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Romantic – Fay Dunbar/Lavender Brown  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; femslash; and mentions of het  
 **Prompts:** (Word) Flicker; (Word) Wistful; and (Word) Near

 **Summary:** Fay Dunbar was shocked to learn Lavender Brown was interested in studying with her.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion**  
 _017\. A Magical Moment_

Smiling, Fay Dunbar listened as her best friend, Sophie Roper, complained about their Defense Against the Dark Arts homework. In order to make up from their seven years off professors, Professor Valeria Pierces had assigned them a list of spells to practice and master by the end of the month in addition to an essay and a lot of reading. Despite the pile of homework, Fay was relieved by what she was learning. Getting an Outstanding on NEWTs was critical to her future plans of becoming an auror.

"I mean, it's, like, she doesn't even know what it's like to be a teenager," Sophie complained, her tone whiny. "I don't want to do homework all weekend when I could be out with a guy."

"Is there a guy?" asked Fay, raising an eyebrow. At she heard, Sophie was still hung up on Seamus Finnigan.

Sophie blushed. "W-well, not yet," she replied with a stutter, "but there might be."

"Really now?" Fay pressed, a smirk crossing her lips. "This I wanna hear more about."

Cheeks turning darker, Sophie glared at her best friend. "We had _a moment_ ," she began, "yesterday at breakfast."

Fay was seated next to her best friend yesterday at breakfast. She didn't remember witnessing a moment. "When you passed him the salt?" she asked.

"Y-yeah," Sophie answered. "Our fingers brushed, and he looked _right at me_."

"Didn't he call you Sarah?" Fay asked. While she didn't want to be mean to Sophie, Fay charged herself with the task of keeping her friend grounded.

"Well, yeah," Sophie agreed, "but it was a _magical moment_." She sighed, sounding wistful.

Fay shook her head. Sophie was setting herself up for heartbreak. Seamus _barely_ knew she existed and he was hung up on Lavender Brown – not that Fay could blame him. Lavender was gorgeous.

"I'm going to the library," Fay told her friend.

Sophie looked over at Fay with a questioning look.

Rolling her blue eyes, Fay explained, "I'm starting my Defense homework. You're welcome to join me, if you want."

"Nah," Sophie said, shaking her head. "I've got plans."

Fay nodded, inwardly rolling her eyes. Knowing her best friend, Sophie was going to sit in the common room making goo-goo eyes at Seamus while pretending to read. "You have with that," she told her friend, "and if you get the chance, tell Seamus your name is Sophie, not Sarah."

Without waiting for Sophie's response, Fay headed off to the library.

Upon her arrival to the library, Fay claimed a table in the Defense section by dropping her bag in the middle of the table before heading off to look at the books. She returned twenty minutes later with an armful of books to find her table gained a resident in the form of Lavender Brown.

Fay stopped mid-step, her eyes flickered around. What was Lavender doing at her table? There were empty tables near her table. In fact, there was one in front of the window – the same window that faced the Quidditch Pitch where the Gryffindor team was practicing.

Shaking her head, Fay forced herself to resume walking to her table. She was an adult, and she knew how to share. Placing her books down, Fay pulled her bag onto a chair before sitting down. Rummaging around in her bag, Fay pulled out her parchment, Defense textbook, an ink pot, and her quill.

"Do you want to do our Defense homework together?" Lavender asked.

Fay eyes flickered up to look at her. "We can," she answered with a shrug.

A smile formed on Lavender's lips. "Excellent," she said.

Against her will, Fay found herself blushing as Lavender moved to a closer seat. Their knees were touching under the table and Fay could smell Lavender's floral perfume.

Over the next two hours, the pair of young women sat at that table working on their homework together. Fay had difficulty focusing with Lavender seated next to her with the older girl touching her hand or her knee and leaning in whisper in her hear. The blush on Fay's face grew darker and darker.

"You know," Lavender whispered, her breath hot against Fay's ear, "I think you're adorable."

Fay's blue eyes widened and she froze as she felt Lavender's finger run through her dark blonde hair.

Lavender smiled, watching as the other girl's eyes widened and her pupils dilated. Fisting her dark blonde hair, Lavender pulled Fay towards her, crashing her lips against the other girl's. She smiled as she felt Fay slowly respond to the kiss.

A few seconds later, Lavender pulled away. "Think we can finish our homework later?" she asked with a smirk.

Wordlessly, Fay nodded. Her eyes flickering between Lavender's eyes and her lips.

"There's a broom cupboard nearby," Lavender whispered, leaning in close. Her ran her hand through Fay's hair for a second. "How does that sound?"

"Sound's great," Fay replied in a daze.

Smiling, Lavender pecked her on the lips. She stood up, gathering her belongings.

Quickly copying her actions, Fay sprung to her feet and started returning items to her bag.

When she done, Lavender held out her hand, which Fay took, blushing hard, as Lavender pulled her out of the library. Her blush darkened as she followed Lavender into the broom cupboard, where she was pressed against the wall with Lavender's hands in her hair and their lips locked.

"I wonder how far that blush goes," Lavender whispered, her eyes trailing over Fay before she resumed kissing the other girl.

* * *

This was written in response to the following: (1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ , (2) _Climb to the Top of Mount Potter_ , and (3) _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.  
(1) _Build Your Cube_ – Blue: (Word) Flicker  
(2) _Climb to the Top of Mount Potter_ – Prompt 02: (Word) Wistful  
(3) _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ – (Word) Near

* * *

Words: ~900


	19. Distance

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Familial (Sisters) – Padma Patil and Parvati Patil  
 **Pairings:** Parvati Patil/Lavender Brown; and Harry Potter/Padma Patil  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; femslash; het; and mild sister drama  
 **Prompts:** (Pairing) Parvati/Lavender; and (Word) Sister

 **Summary:** When they were Sorted into separate Houses, Padma and Parvati started to grow apart for the first time in their lives.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _018\. Distance_

Growing up, Padma and Parvati Patil were close. They rarely socialized with other children outside of their family, and most of their relatives had little interest in the identical twins. While daughters were valued, sons were the most important. After all, a son was the future of the family for he would carry on the family name.

As a result, the sisters were best friends. In the beginning, they didn't see anything affecting their relationship when they left for Hogwarts. While they were separate people, Padma and Parvati couldn't imagine being apart.

Everything started to change on the Hogwarts Express. Parvati and Padma arrived early, and they claimed a compartment in the middle of the train. While waiting for the train to depart, Parvati and Padma separated to explore the train. One would wonder around and the other would remain in the compartment.

While Parvati was wondering around the train, she ran into Lavender Brown, literally. The collision sent both of girls to the ground. After apologizing, the pair began quick friends, sharing jokes and laughing as Parvati took Lavender back to her compartment.

"There's two of you!" Lavender said with wide eyes as she glanced back and forth between the identical sisters.

"No," Parvati laughed, shaking her head. "We're twins. This is my sister Padma. And this is my new friend, Lavender."

Padma offered Lavender a small smile as the girl sat down across from her with Parvati hopping onto the seat next to her. A few minutes later, the train started left the station, speeding towards Hogwarts. Throughout the journey, Padma watched as Parvati and Lavender bonded, becoming friends. Watching them interact, she grew jealous. How was so easy for Parvati to make a new friend?

"What House do you want?" Lavender asked.

"Ravenclaw," Parvati said, sharing a smile with her sister. "What about you?"

"Gryffindor," answered Lavender with a smile. "The same House as my Aunt Hazel."

Parvati nodded, a frown growing on her face. She didn't want to be in a separate house than her new friend. Maybe she should convince Padma to join Gryffindor.

Before anyone knew it, they had arrived to Hogwarts and the Sorting Ceremony had started. Lavender stood shoulder to shoulder with Parvati.

"Brown, Lavender," called Professor McGonagall from her long list.

Lavender reached out and she squeezed Parvati's hand. They shared a smile before Lavender ran up to the stool.

Parvati moved to stand next to her sister as the Sorting Hat was lowered over Lavender's eyes.

"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted after a few minutes.

Padma watched as Lavender removed the Hat before heading to the Gryffindor table, which was cheering for their newest member.

Waiting as patiently as they could, the twin sisters watched as more and more of their classmates were Sorted one by one. Before they knew, it was nearly their turn.

"Patil, Padma," called Professor McGonagall.

Sharing a smile with her twin, Padma headed up to the stool. After a moment, the Sorting Hat placed her in Ravenclaw, as they planned. As she headed to the Ravenclaw table, Padma offered her sister an encouraging smile before she was called up for her Sorting.

Padma watched from the Ravenclaw table as Parvati was placed in Gryffindor and she rushed to sit next to Lavender with a wide smile and a skip in her step. Tears filled Padma's eyes as she watched her twin sister and her new friend. Why would Parvati choose Lavender and Gryffindor over her?

It was a day before Padma was able to talk to her twin. That was nearly the longest time they gone without talking to one another. Parvati was happy while Padma felt miserable.

"So, Gryffindor, huh?" Padma said, following in step next to her sister in the hallway.

"Yeah," Parvati said with a smile. "There was something about Lavender."

Padma bit her tongue, feeling jealous growing inside of her. There was something Lavender, and that seemed to make Lavender more important than Padma to her own sister. "I hope you're having fun," she said before rushing off, leaving her sister behind.

 **...**

Over the next few years, Padma and Parvati grew apart. Parvati relayed on Lavender while Padma tried and failed to connect with her sister. Without her sister by her side, Padma slowly befriended her roommates, becoming good friends with Su Li.

In their fourth year, Parvati started to notice the rift between her and her sister. For the first time, she tried to mend her relationship with Padma, failing to understand how they had grown apart. One of her attempts to fix their relationship included getting Padma a date for the Yule Ball, Ron Weasley, while Parvati attended with Harry Potter, Padma's long-time crush.

That night, Padma watched in misery as Parvati had fun dancing with Harry while she sat next to Ron. Ron was busy glaring at Hermione Granger and Viktor Krum and whining about her betrayal. After an hour, Padma grew tired of him. When Parvati left Harry's side for another dance partner, Padma quickly moved in to dance with Harry.

Luckily, Padma had an excellent evening with Harry while Parvati traded dance partner, unwilling to commit to one.

 **...**

"How could you do that to me?" Parvati demanded on Christmas Day when she found her sister in the hallway.

Padma gave her sister a blank stare. What was she talking about? It was too early in the morning to deal with Parvati and her drama.

"How could you take Harry from me?" Parvati demanded, her voice growing louder and drawing attention from students in the hallway.

Padma glared at her sister before dragging into an empty classroom. Pulling out her wand, she made quick work of warding the room against eavesdroppers.

"I didn't take Harry from you," Padma stated, turning her attention to her sister.

"Yes, you did," Parvati argued. "He was _my_ date, and you spent most of the night dating with him."

"I started dancing with Harry after _you_ left him," Padma stated. How could take qualify as stealing? Parvati was the one to ditch him for another guy.

Parvati glared.

"What is this really about?" Padma demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

It took Parvati a minute before she answered, "Us."

"What about us?" Padma asked, her tone gentler.

"We're not as close. We've grown apart – distant even," Parvati explained. "I miss that. I miss you."

"I haven't gone anywhere," Padma stated with a shrug. "I've been the same place for the last four years."

"Are you saying this is my fault?" Parvati asked, her voice raised in volume.

With sigh, Padma explained, "What I'm trying to say is simple. _You_ knew where I was, and I knew where you were. When I tried to spend time with you, it either you _and_ Lavender or no one. I got tired of being ignored."

Parvati opened her mouth, ready to deny her sister's statements. Surely in the last four years there was a time they hung out together just the two of them. Unfortunately, she couldn't think of one. There were a lot of times it was her, Lavender, and Padma, and there were times it was her, Lavender, Padma, and Su. But there weren't any times it was _just_ them.

"Do you have any plans later today?" Parvati asked.

 **...**

This weren't perfect, but they stared to change slowly. Parvati made more of an effort to spend time with Padma. There were plenty of times Parvati and Padma hung out with Lavender and Su, and there were times it was Lavender and Harry.

The summer between their fifth and sixth year, Parvati and Lavender started dating. It was a long transition from friends to girlfriends. At the end of their seventh year, Parvati and Lavender were still dating and they had plans to open a beauty business in Diagon Alley while Harry and Padma were off to South America where Padma planned to pursue her Potions Mastery in Peru and Harry worked on translating Parsletongue books into English.

* * *

This was written in response to the following: (1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ and (2) _Climb to the Top of Mount Potter_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.  
(1) _Build Your Cube_ – Red: (Pairing) Parvati/Lavender  
(2) _Climb to the Top of Mount Potter_ – Prompt 03: (Word) Sister

* * *

Words: ~1,400


	20. Deals

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Friendship – Fay Dunbar and Sophie Roper  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe  
 **Prompt:** (Spell) Nox

 **Summary:** OWLs were only months away, and Fay Dunbar wanted to start studying while Sophie Roper had other plans.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _019\. Deals_

Yawning, Fay Dunbar tried to remain awake as Professor Binns droned on and on about some goblin rebellion or another. While she loved reading about history, listening to the ghost professor talk only made her tired, even after lunch.

She glanced around at her classmates, many of whom where sound asleep or failing to pay attention. Curiosity satisfied, Fay turned her attention to her notes. It was fifth year, and she had her OWL exams in a few months. Doing her best to block out the ghost professor, Fay started reviewing the key events of the witch trails.

The process was slow. By the time she was done reviewing her notes, class was ending. With a surge of energy, Fay leapt to her feet as she shoved everything into her bag. As quickly as she could, Fay rushed out of the classroom. This was her last class of the day, and she was eager to be _anywhere_ else.

With a few hours before dinner, Fay headed to the common room. While she preferred to study in the library, she wanted to review her spell-work. Thanks to Professor Umbridge's numerous "Educational Decrees", it was against the rules to use magic in the library and in the hallways and in most of the abandoned classrooms. That left very few options, like the common rooms and dorm rooms – for now, at least.

In the common room, Fay was thrilled to discover her favorite armchair and table in the back of common room were available. With a skip in her step, Fay ran over and threw herself into the armchair. She took a few minutes to relax in the armchair before she opened her bag to retrieve her day planner, which led the review guide she created.

Flipping to the beginning, Fay started by reviewing the first year material. It made sense to start at the beginning and go forward from there. The first two spells was simple: _Lumos_ and _Nox_. Reaching into her bag, Fay took out her wand. She ran her fingers over the smooth dark wood before moving her hand to grip the end of the wand.

 _"Lumos!"_ she said, flicking her wand. Fay watched as the tip lit. She keyed the bright tip for a few seconds before saying, _"Nox!"_

"Boring!" Sophie Roper declared as she dropped into the seat next to Fay. She gave her best friend a cheeky smile when Fay looked over at her.

Fay returned her best friend's smile. "What would you rather do, Sophie?" she asked, her tone sarcastic and monotone.

"Something fun," Sophie answered, "like talking about boys or reading _Witch Weekly_."

Humming, Fay turned her attention back to her study guide. "You should find Lavender or Parvati for something like that," she said.

Sophie pouted. "But I wanna hang out with you," she said.

"Well, I want to study," she told her friend, glancing over at Sophie. "OWLs are a few months away."

"But you have _months_ ," Sophie whined.

"Yes," Fay agreed, dropping her gaze back to her study guide. "All the more reason to start now."

"You're sounding like Granger," Sophie said in her whiny tone and with a roll of her eyes.

"You're making sound like there's something wrong with that," the blonde said, practicing both spells again.

"It makes you boring," explained Sophie, pouting, "and I don't like boring."

Fay casted _Lumos_ and _Nox_ another three times, ignoring her friend. Sophie regularly did this. She was more interested than learning and doing her homework. When it came to homework, Sophie waited until the last minute and she would panic as she franticly tried to complete it all.

"Fay," Sophie whined, "pay attention to me."

"I will," Fay promise, glancing over at her friend, "in thirty minutes when I'm done reviewing. If that isn't soon enough, you're welcoming to join me."

Sophie continued to pout as Fay returned to her studying. She made it a whole minute. "Fine, thirty minutes of studying then we do something fun," she said in a whiny tone.

"Sounds good," Fay agreed with a smile.

Returning the smile, Sophie grabbed her own wand. "So, we're practicing _Lumos_ and _Nox_ , then?"

* * *

This was written response to the following: (1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ , and (2) _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges.  
(1) _Build You Cube_ – Orange: (Spell) Nox  
(2) _Shop for Prompt Challenge_ – Prompt: (Spell) Nox

* * *

Words: ~700


	21. Discounts

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Familial (Cousins) – James Sirius Potter and Roxanne Weasley  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; and original character (Marvin Jones)  
 **Prompt:** (Character) Roxanne Weasley

 **Summary:** It's just another day at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _020\. Discounts_

Crossing her arms, Roxanne Weasley fought the urge to tap her foot or roll her eyes. Her parents had worked hard to teach her and Fred good customer service skills. It was important for Roxanne and Fred to be seen behaving well because they were the future of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes. It was their father and Uncle Fred's beloved legacy, and it would all be theirs one day.

"Which should we get?" James Sirius Potter asked his best friend.

"The Snack Boxes?" Marvin Jones said with a shrug.

James sighed. "We need something for pranks!" he explained. "I'm thinking the Big Box of Fireworks or the Portable Swamp."

"The fireworks?" Marvin said.

"James," Roxanne said, "hurry up _and chose_!"

"How about a discount?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Roxanne gagged at the sight. Screw good customer services. She did not want to deal with this. "How about no!" she said, placing her hands on her hips as she glared at her cousin.

"C'mon, I'm family," whined James, pouting.

"There is no family discount," Roxanne crossed her arms.

"But Fred gives me one!" James said.

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah, how much?"

"Twenty-five percent," James grinned.

Roxanne smiled. "Thank you, I'll be sure to tell dad," she said, "and there's still no discount."

James opened and closed his mouth a few times.

"I've decided!" Marvin declared. "Let's get the fireworks."

Roxanne quickly handed Marvin the Big Box of Firework as she took the money. She handed over the change. "Don't come back too soon!" she said, walking away from the counter.

Someone else could deal with the customers. She didn't get paid enough to put up with her younger cousin flirting with her. She shuddered at the thought. James was _nowhere near_ the lady's wizard as he thought he was.

* * *

This was written in response to _Can You Make It to the End Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.  
Round One: (Character) Roxanne Weasley


	22. The Important Morning

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Relationship:** Familial – James Potter, Fleamont Potter, and Euphemia Potter  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; and het  
 **Prompt:** (Word) Movement; (Scenario) Write about a new chapter in someone's life; and (Word) Via

 **Summary:** It's a very important morning for James Potter: his eleventh birthday.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion**  
 _021\. The Important Morning_

Bright and early on the twenty-seventh of March, James Potter awoke. He started at the ceiling of his bedroom for a few seconds, thinking about his birthday. After all, it was everyday a boy turned eleven.

James' hazel eyes widened in excitement at the thought, and a large grin formed on his face.

He was turning eleven today!

As a young wizard, his eleventh birthday marked a special day in his life. It was the day he would receive his Hogwarts acceptance letter.

With a surge of excitement, James leapt out of his bed before running to his wardrobe. He needed to get dressed! Today was an important day.

Looking through his clothes, James selected a stylish pair of navy blue robes. He quickly dressed before dashing to the bathroom. Slowing down a little, James took the time to brush his teeth, wash his face, and comb his hair. His mother had raised him to be a gentleman with good hygiene and healthy habits.

Once he was gone in the bathroom, James skipped down the hallway towards the stairs. It was going to be a great day! He _just_ knew it. This was a day that would change his life. Today was the first chapter in his journey to beginning a wizard.

Smile still in place, James hopped on top of the banister and slid down to the bottom of the stairs before jumping off.

"James Charles Potter, just what do you think you're doing?" demanded Euphemia Potter.

Hazel eyes widened as James whirled around to find his mother standing the doorway to the formal dining room. Her arms were crossed and her hazel eyes were narrowed. "Mother," James greeted, his voice squeaking a little, "I didn't see you there."

Moving her hands to her hips. "You better behave," she told her son, her tone hard and her eyes narrowed.

"I will, mother," James promised, offering her a small smile.

It took Euphemia a minute before she returned her son's smile. "Do behave, James," she told her son before walking into the formal dining room.

James stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching his mother's movements as she left the entryway. Euphemia was overseeing the preparations for James' special birthday dinner that night. Once she was in the formal dining room, James headed to the informal dining room, where he found his father eating breakfast.

"Good morning, father," James greeted as he took a seat.

"Happy birthday, James," Fleamont Potter told his son, offering him a smile over the morning edition of _The Daily Prophet_.

James smiled, turning his attention the breakfast a house-elf placed in front of him before popping out of the room. He had a plate of golden brown pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon with a glass of fresh squeezed pumpkin juice.

Smile widening, James eagerly dug into his breakfast. The informal dining room remained quiet with noise coming from James' eating and Fleamont turning pages in the newspaper. As James was finishing his pancakes, Euphemia took a seat at the table with a cup of tea in hand.

"Is it here?" Fleamont asked.

"Yes, it is," Euphemia beamed with happiness and pride.

James looked from his plate, studying his parents for a moment. "What's here?" he asked.

"Let 'em in, Mozzi," Euphemia ordered before taking a long sip of tea.

A few seconds later, a barn owl flew into the informal dining room. There was a letter attached to its leg. With a few flaps of its wings, the barn owl landed in front of James.

A surge of excitement filled James as the sight of the owl and the letter. This could only be one thing: his Hogwarts letter. Smiling wide, James shoved his plates to side. As quick and careful as he could, James untied the letter from the owl's leg. On the front side of the letter, he was the Hogwarts crest and the address: _Mr. J. Potter of the Second Largest Bedroom of Potters' Landing_. So excited, James barely noticed the owl fly off.

Ripping the letter open, James eager read over the words.

It was official. He was accepted to Hogwarts! Come the first of September, James would be off to start his magical education.

"Father, can I borrow Ares?" James asked, setting his letter down.

"Of course, James," Fleamont replied. "What do you need him for?"

"My reply of intention," James explained. "The letter instructions that I reply via owl no later than the fourth of August."

Fleamont and Euphemia looked at one another before sharing a laugh.

"James, there is plenty of time to see your reply," Euphemia told her son. "We'll send in June, around the time you're sent the supply list."

James quickly agreed to his mother's suggestion. "When can I get my wand?" he asked with a wide grin.

His question sent his parents into a laugh.

* * *

This was written for the following: (1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ , (2) _The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts_ , and (3) _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.  
(1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ – Blue: (Word) Movement  
(2) _The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts_ – (Scenario) Write about a new chapter in someone's life.  
(3) _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ – Prompt: (Word) Via

* * *

Words: ~800


	23. Maybe I'm Amazed By You

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Pairing:** Charlie Weasley/Haleigh Potter  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; female!Harry Potter (Haleigh); age different of seven years (14/23); mentions of neglectful and abusive Dursleys; and mentions of sexual situations

 **Summary:** Desperate for a way out of the Triwizard Tournament, Haleigh found a solution at the last minute. With some help form a mischievous house-elf, Charlie Weasley came to her rescue. Charlie/Haleigh. female!Harry Potter.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _022\. Maybe I'm Amazed By You_

The first time he saw Haleigh Potter, Charlie Weasley was picking up a baby dragon from Hogwarts. It was the very dragon his youngest brother had wrote to him about. Apparently, Hagrid had gotten his hands on a dragon egg and it hatched into a Norwegian Ridgeback.

Originally, Charlie had planned to have some friends pick the dragon up, but he quickly decided against it. While it was convent, but it held a lot of risk. After thinking about it, Charlie decided to pick the dragon up personally. He arranged for his twin brothers, Fred and George, to help sneak Ron and his friends into Hogsmeade where they would meet up.

When he showed up in Hogsmeade, Charlie was met by his twin brothers and two girls, one with bushy brown hair and the other with messy dark hair. There was a wooden crate between the pair of girls.

"Where's Ron?" Charlie asked.

"He's in the Hospital Wing," the girl with bushy brown hair answered. She was short with brown eyes, and a bossy attitude.

"With a 'mysterious' dog bite," Fred added with a roll of his eyes.

"Dog bite?" Charlie repeated.

"Norbert, bit him," the dark haired girl explained. She had large glasses that hid her green eyes and short hair.

"Norbert?" he asked, wanting an explanation – though he had a feeling who Norbert was. His eyes fell onto the wooden crate.

"Yes, the dragon, " the second girl answered, glancing down at the crate.

Charlie nodded, feeling a headache coming on. It wasn't good that a young dragon bit a human. It was a sign of behavioral problems. This meant Charlie would have to keep a close eye on Norbert. "Who are you?" he asked, changing the subject.

"These are two of Ron's best friends," George answered, "Hermione Granger and Haleigh Potter."

Charlie's eyes widened at the mention of the second name. He was familiar with the name of the Girl-Who-Lived, everyone in the Wizarding World was. He looked Haleigh over. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he said. "Ron's told me a little about both of you." In his letters, Ron wrote about his three best friends – Mione, Hales, and Nev. "Who's Nev?" he asked

Haleigh offered him a smile. "Neville Longbottom," she answered.

"We need to get going," Fred announced, glancing at his watch.

Nodding, Charlie quickly pulled his brothers into a hug. "It was nice seeing you both," he told them.

"You, too," Fred and George said together.

They quickly parted with Fred and George taking Hermione and Haleigh back to the castle through some secret passage or another.

Even though it was a short meeting, there was something about Haleigh Potter that lingered in Charlie's mind. He wasn't sure what – maybe it was her friendship with Ron or her status as the new Gryffindor Seeker.

Over the next year and half, Charlie received regular updates from Ron about his friends and their adventures. Charlie knew Haleigh played an important role in rescuing Ginny from the Chamber of Secret the following year.

After hearing about Ginny, Charlie took the time to write Haleigh a long letter of thanks. That started the beginning of their relationship. Haleigh was an outspoken and honest girl. She didn't hold back on her opinions and she was a loyal friend. Over the next two years, Charlie and Haleigh regularly exchanged letters, building something of a friendship.

It was the summer before her fourth year when they met again. Charlie was shocked at sight of her. Gone was the short eleven year with messy hair and glasses. Instead she was replaced by a young woman with curves and a lean build, a healthy tan, long and curly dark hair, stunning green eyes, and a breathtaking smile. At the very sight of her, Charlie's breath was taken away. It took only a minute to realize his attraction to his _younger brother's_ _fourteen year old_ friend.

Try as he might, Charlie felt his eyes stray to Haleigh every time she was in the room or close by. He gaze would linger before he quickly averted his gaze. Bill was the first one to catch on.

"What's going on with you?" he asked on their second night back at The Burrow. "You keep staring at Haleigh."

Charlie felt his face heat up. "I-I can't help it," he admitted. There was no point in lying to Bill because his older brother would see straight through his lies.

Bill's eyes narrowed as he silent urged his brother to explain.

"I find her attractive," Charlie explained. "There's something about her." He fell silent for a few seconds before adding, "I don't know why. She's _fourteen_ for Merlin's sake."

Listening, Bill thought over everything Charlie had said. This was the first time he could _ever_ recall seeing his brother interested in another person. "Why are you attracted to her?" he asked, his tone serious and his eyes narrowed. While it was uncommon for an older wizard to have a relationship with a minor witch, it wasn't unheard of and there weren't any laws against it – as long as the witch was a willing participant.

"S-she's amazing," Charlie explained. "She's honest and funny and loyal, and she's _so_ smart, but she doesn't believe _any_ of that." He frowned. "Her relatives are horrible people. Haleigh doesn't talk about them much, but I know from the little she has said. I know it's their fault."

Sighing, Charlie continued, "And she's passionate – so passionate about flying." He smiled. "I never thought I'd meet someone who loves flying as much me, but she does."

Bill nodded. It sounded like this attraction was based on more than lust. He wasn't blind, he knew an attraction young woman when he saw one, and Haleigh was gorgeous. It was clear to Bill that Charlie _really_ cared about her. "You sound like you're in love," he stated.

Charlie's eyes widened as he opened and closed his mouth, trying to formulate a response and failing.

"I think," Bill began to say, "that you need think about what kind of relationship you want with Haleigh – and fast. She's cute and someone's going to come along and take her." He left Charlie to his thoughts without another word.

For the next four hours, Charlie took his brother's advice. He thought about what he wanted from Haleigh and his feelings for her. Some of the answers were easy. Charlie knew what he wanted with her – a relationship – and he knew what his feelings for her were – it was deep fondness and he really, _really_ liked her, but it wasn't love, yet.

If Haleigh were older, like sixteen or seventeen, Charlie wouldn't even hesitate before asking her out, but she was fourteen and Charlie was seven years older than her. While it wasn't illegal for them to date, it was unlikely many people would support their relationship – including Charlie's own parents.

The idea of someone else being interested in Haleigh made Charlie's blood boil. He wanted Haleigh to be _his_. He couldn't do that because Haleigh was her own person and she could make her own decisions. As far as Charlie knew, she saw him as friend and as Ron's older brother.

After thinking things over, Charlie found himself in the kitchen with a bottle of firewhiskey for company. Slowly, he sipped his drink.

"You know how your mother feels about alcohol," stated Arthur Weasley as he entered the kitchen. He stared at his son with narrowed eyes. "What's on your mind?"

Before answering, Charlie took a long sip of his drink. "Haleigh," he answered, honestly.

"What about Haleigh?" asked Arthur, a sharp tone in his voice, as he took a seat next to Charlie.

"How I feel about her," his son replied, pouring himself another glass of firewhiskey.

Wordlessly, Arthur summoned himself a glass. He watched his second eldest son as he poured himself a drink. "What do you feel for Haleigh?" he demanded as gently as he could. He had taken an instant liking to her two years ago when the twins and Ron brought her home.

"I care about her," Charlie replied. "I know she's amazing person, even if she doesn't see it." Once he started talking about Haleigh, he had difficulty stopping. It was clear in his tone how much he cared about her and his words indicated how well he knew her.

Arthur took a drink of his firewhiskey as he listened to Charlie speak about Haleigh. It was clear Charlie cared _deeply_ for Haleigh. Arthur was surprised to learn Charlie knew Haleigh rather well – better than he did, at least.

"If she was older, it wouldn't be a problem," Charlie sighed, shaking his head. "I just don't know _what_ to do."

Before answering, Arthur downed the remainder of his drink and he poured himself a second one, which he drank as well. "I think you need to talk to Haleigh," he told his son. While Arthur was wry about any relationship between the pair, he wanted both his son and Haleigh to be happy. It was clear Haleigh made Charlie happy, and if Charlie made Haleigh happy then Arthur would learn how to deal with their relationship and he would support the pair.

"Really, you think so?" Charlie asked, his tone hopeful.

Forcing himself to nod, Arthur explained, "I've never you seen this passionate about anything – including flying and dragons."

Charlie's face turned red. "I can't help it," he whispered. "I've never been able to forget her."

Clapping a hand against Charlie's arm, Arthur smiled. "Talk to her in the morning," he adviced.

"I will," Charlie promised.

"I think it's time to turn in," Arthur stated, standing up. He grabbed ahold of the firewhiskey.

"Thanks, dad," Charlie said, "for everything."

Arthur watched as his son stood up before heading to his bedroom.

 **...**

The next morning, Charlie waited until after breakfast to approach Haleigh. It was easy to get her alone with Hermione nagging Neville and Ron about their summer homework. Knowing his brother, Ron had done too much. Charlie found Haleigh outside in the apple orchid.

At the sight of her, his heart skipped a beat. Haleigh was dressed in a pair of short denim shorts with a white tank top and a red plaid jacket. She was climbing up a tree to grab apples, allowing Charlie a view of her toned stomach. His pants tightened.

Shaking his head, Charlie forced himself to clear all thoughts about Haleigh in a sexual manner. This wasn't the time or the place.

"Want any help?" Charlie asked, moving closer.

Haleigh glanced at him. She offered him a smile. "Sure," she answered. "You're tall."

Charlie laughed, easily plucking an apple. He held out to her.

Taking the apple, Haleigh placed it in a wooden bucket. "I know need another fifteen to twenty," she stated.

"Got any plans for those apples?" he asked, eyeing the small collection.

"Yes," she replied with a mischievous smile. "I'm making apple pie."

Shrugging, Charlie picked a few more apples, handing all of them over to Haleigh.

They worked in silence for a minute or two.

"So, you're fourteen," Charlie awkwardly began.

"Something like that," Haleigh shrugged.

"Are their any boys you like?" he asked. Inwardly, Charlie winced. That wasn't subtle, and he asked that question too quickly.

Haleigh's head snapped towards him and her green eyes narrowed. "Why?" she asked, her tone harsh. "Have Ron or Neville said anything?"

Charlie remained silent, picking another apple.

"Was it Ginny?"

Walking passed her, Charlie started picking apples off of a different tree.

"I know it wasn't Hermione, so who said something?"

Charlie glanced over at Haleigh. Her hands were clenched into fists and her green eyes were narrowed into a nasty glare. If looks could kill, Charlie had a feeling he would be dead.

"Well?" she demanded, her voice loud.

"No one said anything to me," Charlie answered. "I'm curious."

Haleigh remained still, glaring at him for a few seconds. "Why?" Haleigh pressed her lips together.

Charlie remained silence, unsure of how to answer. This wasn't how he wanted this conversation to go _at all_. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to think of a response or a way to change the subject. Nothing came to mind.

Taking a deep breath, Charlie decided to act on impulse. He reached out and grabbed Haleigh's face before pulling her lips against his. It was a short kiss. Once it was over, Charlie dropped his hands and he took a step back, allowing Haleigh space.

Haleigh stared at him in shock. "What was that about?" she asked, her voice weak.

"I like you," Charlie replied, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "I _really_ like you."

"You do?" Haleigh said. "But why?"

"You're amazing," Charlie explained. He had used that exact word to describe Haleigh several times over the last few days. "I can't stop thinking about you."

"I'm nothing special," she whispered, shaking her head.

"Yes, you are," Charlie told her. His hands curled into fists in an effort to keep himself from reaching out and touching her. He wanted to grab her and shake her until she lost those thoughts. "You're unlike anyone I've met before. You're an incredible friend – brave, loyal, honest, funny. You're smart and passionate." He shook his head, "I can't stop thinking about you."

Haleigh listened to him, tears gathering in her green eyes. "Is that all?"

"You're gorgeous," he stated, "but that pales in comparison to the beautiful person that you are."

"Kiss me, again?" she asked, her voice soft.

Charlie smiled. He didn't need to be asked twice. He gently pulled Haleigh into another kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist.

* * *

In part, this was written in response to the following (1) _The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts_ , and (2) _Shop for a Prompt Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.  
(1) _The FRIENDS Competition_ – (Season Nine) TWO The Donor: Write about Charlie Weasley.  
(2) _Shop for a Prompt_ – Prompt: (Character) Charlie Weasley

* * *

In addition, this is one of my first tries as the extended version of "Vows" for If Wishes Were Upgrades Collection. This will not be the final version, and I don't know if I will ever complete this story.

* * *

Words: ~2,400


	24. Learning Curve

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Pairing:** Oliver Wood/Demelza Robins  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; mentions of original characters; and het  
 **Prompts:** (Character) Oliver Wood; and (Character) Demelza Robins

 **Summary:** From a young, Demelze Robins has had one true love: flying.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _023\. Learning Curve_

She lived for the rush that came from flying on her broom. Growing up as the middle child of five, she was often overlooked, which Demelza Robins enjoyed. Her father focused on teaching Cadan and Nessa were well behaved while her mother focused on the twins, Massen and Goron. They didn't try to, but her parents let Demelza slip through the cracks. In addition, she wasn't close to any of her siblings. Cadan, the eldest, was a studious Ravenclaw determined to become an Unspeakable. Nessa, the older girl, was interested in finding a good husband and playing house. Then the twins had little interest in playing in the dirt and fighting.

Demelza fell in love with flying when she was five by picking up her brother's discarded birthday gift. Neither Cadan and Nessa had an interest in flying or in Quidditch. The first time she flew, Demelze clung to the broomstick for dear life, barely flying four feet above the ground. Despite the overwhelming sense of fear, Demelza continued to fly until it was fly. She went outside, day after day, to fly until she was flying twenty feet off above the ground. By then she laughed carefree, enjoying the breeze. Once she comfortable with flying, Demelza decided to challenge herself. She started doing tricks, like dives and swerves she seen in professional Quidditch matches.

When Demelza got her Hogwarts acceptance letter, she dreamed of playing Quidditch for her House team – and eventually turning professional. Upon her arrival to Hogwarts and her placement in Gryffindor, she learned the House team was full and they were a good team. Despite her dreams being dashed, Demelza continued to fly. One day, she would play for the Gryffindor team.

In her second year, Demelza brought her old broomstick to school. She spent long hours on the weekend flying around the Quidditch pitch. Early one Saturday morning, she made a friend.

"You're pretty good," Oliver Wood told as she dismounted her broomstick.

Demelza's brown eyes widened at the sight of the seventh year. "T-thanks," she stuttered, trying to offer the older boy a smile.

"What position do you play?" Wood asked, glancing over her.

She shrugged. "I've never actually played," she answered. "I think I'd make a good Chaser."

"Or a Seeker," Wood added. "You're small enough to be fast."

Demelza smiled. "I won't play until my seventh year," she said. "If I can play Chaser than I'll play in my fifth year."

Wood stared at her for a moment. "Come back here after lunch," he ordered. "You can run some drills."

Her eyes widened at the offer. "I will," she promised. Practicing Quidditch after lunch meant she would stay up late tonight finishing her Potions essay, but it would be rather it.

There was a lot to learn, and she could learn from Oliver Wood and current Gryffindor Quidditch team.

That after lunch found Demelza walking onto the Quidditch pitch. In the center, Wood stood with the Weasley twins and Katie Bell.

"You'll be throwing the Quaffle back and forth with Katie, dodging Bludgers," Wood explained.

"Any scoring?" Demelza asked.

Wood shook his head.

Kicking off the ground, Demelza flew a lap around the Quidditch pitch before bringing her broom next to Bell.

The afternoon passed quickly with Demelze getting the hang of handling the Quaflfle – catching it, throwing it, carrying it – and she had a natural talent in dodging Bludgers. By the end of the afternoon, she had managed to impress both Wood and Bell.

 **...**

True to her word, Demelza showed up for tryouts in her fifth year. This year had an increase in people trying out, including students from other Houses and younger students that lacked experience. The increase was related to the new Quidditch Captain, Harry Potter. Most of the attendants were eager to meet the celebrity and talk with him. Some others, like Romilda Vane, wanted to impress Potter with their Quidditch skills or they wanted Potter to save them from a fall.

While Demelza hadn't played in the "real" game of Quidditch, she spent the last few years practicing. After the initial training session with Wood, Bell, and the Weasley twins, Demelza continued to practicing with a few members of the older Gryffindor Quidditch team. She continued to pass the Quaffle around with Bell, and later Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson. She practiced throwing the Quaffle through the hoops with Wood, and she played dodge the Bludger with the Weasley twins. The only person she hadn't practiced with was Potter since he was the Seeker.

There was one thing Demelza was certain of: she knew how to fly.

Long story short, Demelza sailed through the tryouts and she earned a position as Chaser on the Gryffindor team along side Katie Bell and Ginny Weasley.

 **...**

Despite the age difference, Demelza's first real crush was on Oliver Wood. He was the dashing Quidditch player that led the Gryffindor team to the Quidditch Cup – the first since Charlie Weasley graduated.

After their first meeting, Demelza's crush grew. Taking inspiration from her older sister, Demelza acted the opposite of her when Nessa liked a boy. While Nessa played shy and coy, Demelza continued to act as she normally would, loud, tough, and outgoing.

Since they only interest they shared was Quidditch, Demelza mostly talked Quidditch with Wood. It was easy to tell Quidditch was his biggest passion, and he was determined to play professional. After his graduation, Wood went on to play for Puddlemere United as Keeper.

Her actions seemed to pay off by the time she was nineteen when she earned a position on the Holyhead Harpies, the professional all-female Quidditch team. While she was only second-string, Demelza knew she would play in a professional game. Her wish came true in a match against the Chudley Cannons, which was still one of the worst teams in the league. For that specific game, the Holyhead Harpies played their second-string team, allowing the first-string players to rest for the next game and allowing the second-string to gain experience.

The game lasted two hours with the Harpies leading in scoring when the Cannons' Seeker caught the Snitch to end the game. Despite catching the Snitch, the Harpies won by several goals.

"You played brilliant today," Oliver Wood greeted Demelza after the game.

Her eyes widened at the sight of her and she felt her heart skip a beat, much to her annoyance. Here she was thinking she was over her schoolgirl crush on Wood, but apparently that wasn't the case.

"Thanks," she said, offering him a smile.

Wood returned the smiled as silence fell over the part.

"Do you want to grab a butterbeer with me?" he asked, a moment later.

* * *

This was written in response to the following challenges: (1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ , and (2) _Can You Make It to the End Challenge_ from  Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.  
(1) _Build Your Cube_ – White: (Character) Oliver Wood  
(2) _Can You Make It to the End_ – Round Three: Pick a Quidditch player (Demelza Robins) and write a fic about them and Quidditch. Must be at least 500 words.

* * *

Words: ~1,100


	25. Bright Smiles

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Pairing:** Dean Thomas/Pansy Parkinson; past Dean Thomas/Padma Patil; and past Draco Malfoy/Pansy Parkinson  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; het; and mentions of character death  
 **Prompts:** (AU) Single Parent; (Character) Dean Thomas; (Character) Pansy Parkinson; (Word) Wasted; (Word) Spring; and (Word) Smile

 **Summary:** A day at the park with his daughter led Dean Thomas to reuniting with an old schoolmate.

* * *

 **Bright Smiles**

Watching as his daughter laughed and played with the other children, Dean Thomas felt himself relaxing, for what seemed like the first time in months. Ellie was having trouble adjusting to, well, everything. Her life had changed dramatically in the two years. It started when Padma Thomas was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. The first six months, Dean and Ellie were forced to watch as bright and loving Padma slowly wasted away, losing weight rapidly along with her hair, but her love never faded.

After the death of her mother, Dean and Ellie were hunted by memories of her around the house. There wasn't a room untouched by memories of Padma – Dean could remember debating paint colors in most of the room, and there were the times when Padma and Ellie would run around the house together as they smiled and laughed. It took Dean four months of nightmares and countless nights of sleeping with his daughter before he decided it was time to move. Now, finally, after settling into their new house in Raven's Peak, things seemed to be falling into place.

Dean smiled as he watched Ellie playing with children her own age. Ellie was dark skinned with her mother's dark hair, dark eyes and dimples. She loved the color yellow, insisting on wearing it every _single_ day. Today was no different with Ellie wearing a bright yellow headband.

He continued to watch Ellie for a few more minutes before his gaze dropped to his sketchbook. Fingering his pencil, Dean eyed his sketch. He had recently started drawing pictures for a children's book. This children's book was based on stories he told Ellie about the beautiful Princess Mira. Princess Mira was a fierce warrior witch that Dean had created, shortly after Padma's death.

A few minutes after he started drawing, Dean looked back up. Quickly finding his daughter, he watched as Ellie played with another little girl around her age. This girl had pale skin, short brown hair, and silver eyes. Dean watched the pair of girls for a moment. They were sitting in the sandbox.

As he was watching them, Ellie glanced over at them. She smiled before jumping to her feet, pulling her new friend with her. The pair of girls quickly ran across the park to Dean.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Ellie called as she came closer.

"Ellie, Ellie!" Dean responded with a smile. He sat his sketchbook aside, knowing his daughter would demand all of his attention.

"Daddy!" Ellie said, her tone slightly whiny. She pouted, slowing into a walk.

"Yes, Ellie?" Dean asked.

"Can Flora and her mummy come to lunch with us?" asked Ellie with a smile.

Caught off guard by her question, it took Dean a moment to respond. "That decides on Flora's mum."

"I'll ask her," Flora promised, offering a smile.

"But, daddy, can they come with us?" Ellie asked.

Dean sighed. "It's alright with me as long as it's alright with Flora's mum."

The answer cheered both girls up.

"Well, come on, daddy," Ellie urged, trying to get him to move _faster_.

Smiling fondly, Dean deliberately slowed his movements down, taking his time to gather his things and return everything to his bag.

"Daddy, faster!" demanded Ellie, childishly stomping her foot and pouting. She _needed_ this to work out and fast.

Dean said nothing as he continued to gather his belongings. Everything was packed up within five minutes. When he shoulder his bag, he turned to face the two girls.

Ellie was beaming and Flora smiled. Flora led the way to her mother with a spring in her step with Ellie and Dean following a few steps behind them. The young girl led them across the park where she stopped in front of a woman seated on a bench.

At the sight of the dark haired woman, Dean frowned. There was something familiar about her, but he couldn't place it. From her seated position, Dean couldn't determine her height. The woman had long dark brown hair pulled in a ponytail, and she had pale skin. She looked up from her book when Flora approached her, allow Dean a glimpse of her blue eyes.

"Mummy!" Flora greeted with a smile.

"Flora," the woman said with fondness in her tone. She smiled at her daughter.

"Mummy, can we go to lunch with Ellie and her daddy?" Flora asked with large and pleading eyes.

The woman frowned, glancing over at Dean and his daughter. Her eyes widened. "I don't know, sweetheart," she said. "We can't just invite ourselves along."

"It's alright, Mrs. Flora's mummy," Ellie said, walking up to her friend's side. "My daddy said it was alright, as long as you wanted to come."

"Really?" the woman said, something changing in her voice tone. She looked over at Dean.

Dean nodded, trying to figure out where he recognized her from.

The woman looked over at her daughter and Ellie, both of whom were staring at her with large, pleading eyes. With a sigh, the woman answered, "Yes, Flora."

Ellie and Flora cheered, celebrating their victory.

Dean smiled fondly as he watched the pair while Flora's mum returned her book to her purse and she stood up from the bench.

"Where are we headed?" the woman asked, smiling at Dean.

As he stared at her, Dean slowly started to recognize the woman. "Are you Pansy Malfoy?" he asked.

The woman's blue eyes widened.

Carefully, Dean watched the woman, studying her reactions.

"I was, and it's Parkinson, again," she confirmed. "And you're Dean Thomas."

"Do you know each other?" Flora asked, her silver eyes widened.

"We attended Hogwarts together," Dean explained, "and we were in the same year. Your mum was a Slytherin, and I was a Gryffindor."

"Wow!" Ellie said, excitement in her tone. "Can you tell us stories?"

"Maybe after lunch," Pansy said with a weak smile, "if we're still going."

Dean nodded. "There's a little cafe around the corner," he explained.

Pansy smiled.

The group of four exited the park before crossing the street. Ellie grabbed Flora's hand, eagerly pulling her new friend along with their parents following behind them.

"How have you been since...everything?" Dean asked, a little awkward.

A year after graduating from Hogwarts, Pansy had married Draco Malfoy. Within three years, their marriage fell apart and Draco divorced Pansy to marry another woman. While he didn't know most of the details, Dean felt sorry for her.

Pansy tensed a little, eyeing him with suspicion. "Flora's the only good thing to come of it," she answered, her voice a little cold.

Dean nodded. "She's seems like a sweet girl," he said.

At his words, Pansy relaxed a little.

"What about you?" she asked. "I heard you married Padma in 1999."

Dean's smile turned sad. "We had a great time together," he said, his tone a little bittersweet. "She gave me Ellie and six amazing years."

Pansy frowned. "Did something happen?"

Nodding, Dean explained, "Padma passed away from cancer, almost eighteen months ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Pansy whispered.

Dean said nothing in response. He still had difficulty talking about her illness and her death, even months later.

"Daddy, can I have the fruit salad?" Ellie asked.

"As long as there aren't any mangos," Dean agreed.

"I know that, daddy," Ellie said, rolling her eyes.

Dean ruffled her hair. "It's important to remember," he said.

Ellie pouted, nodding.

"What's wrong with mangos?" Pansy asked.

"I'm all'gric," Ellie answered, having difficulty pronouncing the last word.

Pansy frowned, looking at Dean for clarification.

"She's allergic to latex," Dean explained, "which somehow makes her allergic to mangos and some other fruits."

"Like what?" Pansy asked with a frown.

"Avocados, papayas, tomatoes, soybeans, and coconuts," Dean listed, "that we know of."

"That sounds severe," Pansy said with sympathy.

"We're managing," Dean said with a shrug. "A lot of it is trail and error. If she eats something and has a reaction, then she's likely to be allergic."

Pansy nodded, uncertain how to respond.

They arrived to the cafe a moment later. Dean held the door open, allowing Ellie, Flora, and Pansy to enter in ahead of him. Although the case was called Sunnyside Cafe, it was more of a restaurant.

"Dean, Ellie!" greeted the teenage hostess with a smile at the sight of the regulars. "How are you today?"

"We're good," Ellie answered with a smile.

"How many today?" the hostess asked, noticing the group of four people.

"Four," Ellie replied, holding up four fingers.

The hostess smiled, grabbing two regular menus and two children's menus and some crayons. "Right this way, please." She led the group of four to a table next to a window. The table was set for four people with silverware and napkins.

Ellie and Flora quickly claimed two seats, leaving Dean and Pansy to sit across from them. After everyone was seated, the hostess passed out the menus and the crayons. The two children eagerly tore into their crayons and started coloring while Dean and Pansy looked over the menu. A moment later, the hostess stopped by with tray of water. She placed a glass in front of each of them.

"What do you recommend?" Pansy asked, glancing over at Dean.

"That depends," he replied, "on any dietary restrictions and food preferences."

Overall, lunch passed quickly. Ellie and Flora enjoyed their coloring while Dean and Pansy decided to talk, catching up with one another instead of sitting in awkward silence and ignoring each other. By the end of lunch, the two young girls declared themselves the very best of friends.

"I guess I'll be seeing you soon," Dean said after lunch as they walked out of the cafe.

"Tomorrow morning at the park," Pansy promised with a smile. "I'll bring tea."

* * *

This was written for the following: (1) _Build Your Cube Challenge_ , (2) _Can You Make It to the End Challenge_ , (3) _Climb to the Top of Mount Potter Challenge_ , (4) _Colors of the Rainbow Challenge_ , and (5) _The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.  
(1) _Build Your Cube_ – Yellow: (AU) Single Parent  
(2) _Can You Make It to the End_ – Round Four: Create two pairings (Dean Thomas/Pansy Parkinson) using the list of characters. Write a fic over 750 words for each.  
(3) _Climb to the Top of Mount Potter_ – Prompt: (Word) Wasted  
(4) _Colors of the Rainbow_ – Green, Prompt 3: (Word) Spring  
(5) _The FRIENDS Competition_ – Season Six, TOW Ross' Teeth: Write anything using the prompt "smile".

* * *

Words: ~1,700


	26. The Language of Flowers

**Fandom:** Harry Potter  
 **Pairing:** Hermione Granger/Daphne Greengrass  
 **Warnings:** alternate universe; femslash; mentions of het; and mentions of infidelity  
 **Prompt:** (AU) Florist; and (Character) Hermione Granger

 **Summary:** It was a normal day at Greengrass' Florists when Hermione Granger was given an unusual request.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _025\. The Language of Flowers_

Hermione Granger hummed to the song on the radio as she watered the various flowers. It was a slow day and the other employees were off on lunch while Astoria Greengrass cried her eyes out over her cheating fiance, leaving Hermione alone in the store. While it was against store policy, Hermione wasn't going to complain. She enjoyed moments like these, where she had time and space to herself.

Using the squirt-bottle, Hermione smiled as she watered the roses. Despite the cliché, the red roses were her favorite. These roses had the best scent. She fingered the red petals as she squirted water onto each flower. After the roses came the orchids and the sunflowers followed by the lilies.

Lost in her task, Hermione failed to hear the bell above the door ring as someone entered the shop. Even though it was the lunch hour, the shop wasn't usually busy during this time.

"Excuse me?" someone asked from behind Hermione, startling her.

Jumping at the sound of someone's voice, Hermione turned around. She offered the guest a smile as she tried to greet them. "Good afternoon, welcome to Greengrass' Florists," she said. "How can I be of service today?"

The guest was an attractive blonde woman. She was tall with a lean build and pale skin. Her long blonde hair was curled, and she had big blue eyes. She was dressed in a business causal manner with black skinny slacks, a white blouse under a soft pink cardigan, a pair of nude pumps, a large necklace, and a black purse.

"I need to send a bouquet," the woman stated.

Hermione nodded, placing the squirt-bottle in the front pocket of her smack. "What's the occasion?" she asked, motioning for the woman to follow her.

"A break up," the woman answered with a smile. "My sister's fiance is a cheating smug bag."

This was an unusual request. "Do you want this bouquet to convey a certain meaning?" Hermione asked. She had a few ideas, but it was best to start with what the client wanted.

The blonde frowned. "Not really," she answered with a shrug. "It's a just a giant 'fuck you' to Draco."

Hermione smiled, nodding. "I have an idea," she said cheerily.

The blonde raised an eyebrow.

Motioning for the blonde to follow her, Hermione started walking around the shop. "I'll to special order some of the flowers," she said, "but I have the perfect bouquet in mind. Is there a budget to be conscious of?"

The blonde shook her head. "Not really," she replied.

"We'll start off with some geraniums," Hermione explained, grabbing a pen and a notepad. "We don't carry those, but it'll only take two days to get them in. Any colors in particular you want?"

The blonde shook her head. "Why geraniums?" she asked. "They're a plain and basic yard flower."

Hermione smiled, looking up at the blonde. "That they are," she agreed. "They mean stupidity."

Blue eyes brightened at the meaning. "That's a good start."

"Next will be foxglove," Hermione continued, "and I'll need to place an order for those as well."

"What do those mean?"

"Insincerity."

"What's next?"

"Meadowsweet."

"Isn't that a weed?"

"It is, and it means uselessness."

The blonde brightened with each flower. "What else?"

"Only two more," Hermione answered, placing the notepad down, "and we carry those particular plants."

Hermione led the the client over to the carnations.

"Yellow ones mean 'you have disappointed me'," Hermione explained with a smile.

"I didn't know that," the blonde muttered, her blue eyes flickering between Hermione and the yellow carnations.

"And finally, there's orange lilies," Hermione said, moving to the section of lilies.

"What do those mean?"

"Hatred."

"This'll be perfect!" the blonde declared with a wicked smile.

"And it gets better," Hermione said.

The blonde looked at her.

"This bouquet is less than thirty dollars," she stated with a smile. "If you're interested, we can add others – betrayal, resentment, hostility, and apathy."

"I think this is perfect," the blonde smiled.

The pair moved over to the counter where Hermione got to work placing the orders as they talked about the arrangement of the flowers.

"I don't even care," the blonde said, rolling her eyes. "I just want Draco out of my sister's life."

Hermione nodded, noting the name. There was something familiar about it, but she couldn't place it.

"When do you want these delivered?"

"On Friday," the blonde replied, scribbling down an address, "while he's at work."

It took another ten minutes for Hermione to finishing processing the order. "Do you want a card included in the delivery?"

"No," the blonde said with her wicked smile, "I've got something planned."

"How would you like to pay?"

"Credit card," the blonde answered, pulling a card out of her purse. She handed it to Hermione with a smile.

Hermione returned the smile as she ran the card. As the machine processed the card and printed the receipt, Hermione spotted the name on the credit card: _Daphne Greengrass_. Everything was beginning to make sense.

Her eyes widened and she glanced up at the woman.

Daphne smiled back at her. "I'm thinking we should offer your bouquet," she said. "It will be a big hit."

Slowly, Hermione returned the smile.

"What's the story behind it?" Daphne asked, leaning against the counter.

Blushing, Hermione explained, "Me and Luna created the bouquet when we learned someone was cheating on our friend Ginny."

Daphne nodded, smiling still in place. "Is there anyone special in your life?"

Eyes widening, Hermione felt her face heat up. She shook her head, unable to form a response.

"Great," Daphne said. "I know a great sushi place. How's Thursday?"

"I'm done with school at six," Hermione replied with a shy smile.

"I'll pick you up at eight," Daphne promised. She scribbled something down before passing it to Hermione. "Call me."

Nodding, Hermione quickly agreed before giving Daphne her number.

"See you Friday," Daphne said with a wink before she left the flower shop.

* * *

This was written for the following: (1) _Build Your Cube_ ; and (2) _Collect Items Weekly Challenge_ from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.  
(1) _Build Your Cube_ – Yellow: (AU) Florist  
(2) _Collect Items Weekly_ – Hermione's Old Quill: Write a pairing involving Hermione.

* * *

Count: 1,000


	27. Courtship Rituals of the Wrackspurt

This is a gift for _CrimsonGoldQueen_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Ginny Weasley/Luna Lovegood  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; femslash; and no one has magic  
 **Prompt** : (AU) Supervillain; and (Pairing) Ginny/Luna

 **Summary** : Ginny Weasley has a secret admirer.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion** **  
** _026\. Courtship Rituals of the Wrackspurt_

Ginny Weasley hummed as collected the mail from her box in the lobby of the apartment building. With mild attention to detail, she flipped through the pile, frowning at the sight of the bills. Sometimes being a grown up sucked. Since she was detracted, Ginny failed to notice someone sneaking up behind her.

"Anything good?" the voice of Luna Lovegood asked, a few inches from the redhead's ear.

At the sound of the other woman, Ginny jumped before turning to look at her neighbor with narrowed eyes. "Don't do that!" she hissed.

"But it's so much fun," she said with a pout.

Ginny rolled her brown eyes, ignoring the blonde's pout. This was a usual occurs between them. Time and again, Luna would sneak up on Ginny and scare her, irritating the redhead. If she didn't know any better, Ginny would say Luna was flirting with her.

Turning attention to her handful of mail, Ginny ducked her head as she tried and failed to hide her blush.

Luna smirked before she grabbed her own mail. "Have any fun plans tonight?" she asked.

Peaking through her red hair, Ginny stared at the blonde for a few seconds before answering, "The usual dinner and research session."

"What are you researching?" Luna questioned, curiosity in her voice.

"Ollivander's masterpiece, _The Death Stick_ ," Ginny responded with a shrug. "There's an ongoing debate about the authenticity. Some claim it's the work of Antioch Peverell and others claim it's Mykew Gregorovitch."

"I don't think I'm familiar with that play," Luna said with a frown.

Ginny shrugged. "That makes sense," she said. "It's one of his lesser known works. He wrote _The Death Stick_ around the same time as _The Hollow Phoenix_."

"Is the museum hosting an exhibit on Ollivander?" Luna asked, eagerness in her tone.

"Like _The Quibbler_ hasn't already posted something," Ginny said with a smirk.

Luna smiled innocently.

Laughing, Ginny turned to the elevator with Luna following a step behind.

"Have you heard the latest on Wrackspurt?" Luna asked, pushing the up button for the elevator.

"I haven't had the time," Ginny said, shaking her head. "What's going on?"

"Oh, the usual," Luna answered with a smile and a mysterious tone. "Wrackspurt stole three gold medals from Viktor Krum."

"As in the runner from Bulgaria?" Ginny asked with a frown. He was, additionally, the cheating ex-boyfriend of Hermione Granger, one of Ginny's friends.

Luna nodded, "It couldn't have happened to a nicer person."

"Before there was Chang, Diggory, Brown, Delacour, and Clearwater," Ginny listed with a frown. If she didn't know any better Ginny would think Wrackspurt was targeting people who had hurt those closest to her.

Six months ago, Cho Chang was engaged to Harry Potter, Ginny's ex-boyfriend and close friend. Chang was cheating on Harry with Cedric Diggory, his tennis partner. They were caught in the act by Rita Skeeter.

Lavender Brown was the ex-girlfriend of Ron, Ginny's older brother. She was subpar model who was desperate for cling to her limited fame and fortune while trying to further her career. At the time of their relationship, Ron was a rising international chess player with a few endorsement deals. Brown had a habit of tipping off the paparazzi of their movements. She scheme was exposed by Rita Skeeter.

Like Brown, Fleur Delacour was an ex of a different brother. She was married to Bill for a year before she left him. Ginny would admit that she hadn't liked Delacour in the beginning, but she had learned to tolerate the woman before the wedding. When Bill was involved in an accident on set of _Running with Werewolves_ , Delacour rushed from his bedside to pack her bags. The accident had left Bill with burns on his neck, chest, and arms. Delacour had the divorce papers delivered before Bill even left the hospital.

Penelope Clearwater was the former friend of Percy, another of Ginny's older brothers. They were close friends from undergraduate through law school. When Percy was selected to be a clerk for an important judge, Clearwater grew jealous. She spread several rumors about Percy, accusing him of stealing and cheating and sleeping with their professors. She was kind enough to reveal Percy's relationship with Oliver Wood, starting forward of Puddlemore United.

From what Ginny knew, Wrackspurt had a wicked sense of humor. Vintage bottle of scotch worth half a million dollars from Chang, and a large donation was made to alcoholics anonymous on her behalf. Diggory lost a vintage motorcycle from the Second World War, and a donation was left to an organ donor awareness group in his name. Brown last a pair of ridiculously expensive pair of sunglasses, Delacour a diamond-covered cell phone, and Clearwater a solid gold toilet-brush holder. A generous donation was left to a charity on their behalf, and the charity selected with _extreme_ irony.

"What charity did Wrackspurt donate to?" Ginny asked.

"I believe it was the Paralymics," Luna answered.

Ginny nodded. While there was no irony in the charity choice, it was a noble donation.

"What do you think of the Wrackspurt?" Luna asked, a mysterious tone in her voice.

Shrugging, Ginny replied, "I think they're interesting. The target choice is notable."

"How so?" Luna's eyes were narrowed.

"If I didn't know any better," the redhead began, "I would say the Wrackspurt was courting someone."

Luna frowned. "What makes you say that?"

"The Wrackspurt has targeted people that have harmed those closest to _me_ ," Ginny stated. "My brothers, Harry, and Hermione."

"If that were true, what would you say to the Wrackspurt?"

"I would want to get to know them," Ginny said, "but I would be willing to give the Wrackspurt a chance."

The elevator arrived. Ginny stepped on with a beaming Luna behind her.

* * *

 **This was written for  
**

The Drabble Game: Em / CrimsonGoldQueen  
Request: Ginny/Luna in (AU) Supervillian

The FRIENDS Completion: The One With 472 Prompts  
Season One, TOW George Stephanopoulos: Write about someone admiring from afar.

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 636. Spy's revenge

Once Upon a Time Character Category Challenge-itition  
Robin Hood: Write about a character stealing something for a good reason.

* * *

Gift for _Em_ / _CrimsonGoldQueen_.  
Count: ~900


	28. Let It Snow

This is a gift for _Fire the Cannon_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Percy Weasley/Penelope Clearwater  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; soulmates; soulmate identifying marks; emotions; misunderstanding; and breakups  
 **Prompt** : (Scenario) Percy and Penelope are stuck inside together during a blizzard.

 **Summary** : Through bad luck, Percy Weasley found himself snowed in with his ex-girlfriend who broke his heart.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _027\. Let It Snow_

"It's really coming down out there," Penelope Clearwater stated, her tone filled with annoyance.

Percy Weasley remained quiet as he watched his ex-girlfriend. What was he supposed to say? Yes, it was snowing pretty heavy outside. It had been snowing like for the last hour and it seemed to be letting up _any_.

Penelope sighed. "The least you could do is talk to me," she muttered.

His brown eyes narrowed. "What I am I supposed to say?" he snapped.

"Something," Penelope replied him. " _Anything!_ "

"I have nothing to say _to you_ ," he told her. Anger and annoyance filled him.

Penelope's blue eyes filled with tears. "You used to tell me _everything_ ," she whispered, her tone sad.

The anger and annoyance faded, replaced by longing and heartbreak. Percy knew Penelope was love of his life. He had known that since they first spoke. The very Words were etched on his left shoulder blade. _Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there. Are you alright?_

Sighing, Penelope shook her head. "You really don't have _anything_ to say to me?" she asked, her tone pleading.

Percy had a lot of things to say to her – a lot of things to ask, really – but none of those seemed to matter. What right did Penelope have to him when she broke up with him – discarding him like he was trash – and spoke of find _true love_ when she had his Words on her left shoulder blade? While Percy had never seen those Words, he knew they were there. Soulmates had one another's Words in the same spot. Percy's Words appeared on _her_ eleventh birthday, almost ten years ago.

"You _know_ I had to break up with you," Penelope whispered, her tone remained pleading and tears slid down her cheeks. "Why are you shutting me out like this?"

Taking a deep breath, Percy tried to ignore the annoyance he felt. The more she talked and pleaded, the more annoyed he grew. As far as he was considered, Penelope lost the right to be his friend when she broke up with him. He didn't know why she ended their relationship. Penelope _refused_ to say. There was _small chance_ that he was being overly harsh, but Percy didn't care at the moment.

"Remember when we went to Hogsmeade in December of our fourth year?" Penelope asked. She shook her head with a teary laugh. "It snowed _six feet_ that afternoon. We had to floo back to the castle because we were snowed in the Three Broomsticks."

Percy remembered that day. It used to be a fond memory – one of the many he treasured about Penelope. That was the day he kissed her for the first time, leaning over the table at the bar. He was blushing and stuttering mess. Penelope laughed after their kiss, making Percy doubt his kiss abilities. After her laugh, Penelope smiled and she kissed him.

In fact, that was his first kiss. That night, Percy dreamed of all the firsts he would share with Penelope. They were soulmates and they were going to be together forever.

"Jasmine was singing that Muggle song," Penelope recalled, humming the tone before sining a little, " _It does show signs of stopping. And I've brought some corn for popping. The lights are turned way down low. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!_ "

Penelope stopped singing, staring at Percy. Her blue eyes were filled with sorrow. She sighed again, shaking her head. "I do love you, believe it or not," she whispered.

 _That_ was something she lost the right to say.

"Really?" demanded Penelope. "You're not even going to say anything to _that_?"

"What do you want me to say?" Percy shouted, anger in his voice. "You have _no right_ to say that to me – not after what you did."

"We had to breakup, you know that," Penelope shook her head. "We're not supposed to be together. _You_ were the one talking marriage and children, and I decided it was time to be a grownup and end the relationship before someone got hurt."

"Who was going to get hurt? We were happy together and in love. No one was hurting."

Penelope's blue eyes narrowed. "It was only a matter of time until one of us met our soulmate."

Those words filled Percy with rage. They were soulmates, but apparently Penelope wanted a different soulmate. "How's that working for you?" he demanded. "Have you found someone better than me?"

"There's no one better than you," Penelope whispered, her voice soft. "There never will be."

The admission filled Percy with glee and sadness. There was no one better than him, but Penelope _still_ ended their relationship.

"Even though it hurts, our breakup was for the best," Penelope told him, her tone returned to pleading. "Someday you'll meet your soulmate and I'll be a distant memory. I love you, but your soulmate will love you more and you deserve that."

"How can you stand there and say that?" Percy demanded, anger building in his tone. "At the very least you can be honest with me. You can lie to everyone else if you really want."

"I am being honest. You deserve the chance to be with your soulmate."

"I was with my soulmate and you ended our relationship."

"What are you talking about?"

"I knew you were my soulmate the moment we met – when we were eleven. You had that large stack of books and you walked into me as you were leaving the library. Don't you remember my Words?"

"No, I don't," Penelope answered. "I only have a Word – as in it's one word long."

" _Ouch_."

"H-how did you know that? I've _never_ told anyone."

"I remember _everything_ about that moment. It's the moment we met."

Penelope shook her head as her right hand clutched her left shoulder. "We were eleven. How was I supposed to know you were my soulmate?"

"Instinct. I felt our magic connect. Haven't you taken the _Anima Test_?"

Penelope shook her head. "I'm scheduled to take it after the holidays. Have you taken it?"

Percy nodded. He had taken in July after they graduated. He would have taken it sooner, but the test cost ten galleons and that was money his parents didn't have. Bill had paid for the test as a gift.

"C-can I see it?"

Percy shrugged. He wasn't sure if he wanted to look at it anymore. It hurt too much.

"What does this mean for us?" She sounded hopeful. "I've missed you."

Her question caught him off guard. Percy was still struggling to understand everything. It was a case of misunderstanding or something. Percy knew they were soulmates and he wanted to talk about their future together, but Penelope hadn't known and she ended their relationship so they could both be with their soulmates.

"If you didn't know, would you want to be with me?" he asked. "If I wasn't your soulmate, would you want to get back together?"

"That's hard to say," Penelope admitted, breaking her lip. "I love you, I miss you, and I wanted to get back together. But I had to put my feelings aside. My family _has_ married soulmate to soulmate for generations. I don't know if I'm brave enough to break tradition just to be happy with someone else."

Silence fell over them. Percy looked out the window. It was really coming down out there. The snowflakes were large, the winds were blowing harsh, and it didn't even seem close to ending.

"I love you, too," Percy whispered.

Penelope smiled.

There was hope for them, yet.

* * *

 **This was written for**

The Drabble Game: Ashleigh / Fire the Cannon  
Request: Percy/Penelope in (Scenario) Blizzard: Character A and Character B are stuck in a place together.

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
Prompt: 371. (Restriction) Can't use the word said.

Colors of the Rainbow Challenge  
Blue: Write about a character learning the truth about something.

The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts  
Season One, TOW The Candy Hearts: Write about two exes meeting again.

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 019. There's always a price.

Once Upon a Time Character Challenge-itition  
Robin Hood: Write about a character receiving a second chance at love.

* * *

Gift for _Ashleigh_ / _Fire the Cannon_.  
Count: ~1,300


	29. The One

This is a gift for _NeonDomino_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairings** : James Potter/Regulus Black; mentions of Lily Evans/Frank Longbottom; and mentions of past James Potter/Lily Evans  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; slash; mentions het; fake relationship; friends to lovers; feelings; and emotional speeches  
 **Prompt** : (Scenario) James Potter gets Regulus Black to pretend to his new boyfriend while attending his ex-girlfriend's wedding.

 **Summary** : During his ex-girlfriend's wedding ceremony, James Potter has an epiphany.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _028\. The One_

Reaching over, Regulus Black slapped his date's hands away, shooting the man a dark look. "Leave it," he hissed. "Your tie looks fine."

James Potter glanced over the man before placing his hands at his side. His nerves were getting the better of him.

The two men stared at one another for a moment.

"Take a deep breath," Regulus instructed with a fond roll of his eyes. "In a few hours this will all be over."

James nodded, absent-mindedly. In a few hours, the wedding would be done and over with, and he would be returning to Potter Manor and continuing on with his life. At that point, Lily Evans would be a thing of the past.

A few seconds later, the music started to play, signaling the beginning of the wedding ceremony.

Standing up, James watched as Frank Longbottom walked to the altar with Oscar Blanc, the best man, a few steps behind. The wedding official greeted Frank and Oscar with a smile. Once the two men were in place, the music changed to a softer song. As if as one, the crowd of guest returned to face the opposite direction, their backs to the altar. As a few bars of the song played, Alice Monroe appeared. Following a few steps behind came Lily Evans on the arm of Marlene McKinnon.

James watched as his ex-girlfriend walked down the aisle. There was time, a few years ago, when he planned to marry Lily himself. Unfortunately, they weren't meant to be. While Lily had moved on, James was still struggling to do so.

Glancing over at his date, he bit his tongue. Despite what they told people and how they acted, James and Regulus weren't together. Regulus had agreed to attend this wedding with James under the illusion of dating. While James wasn't hung up on Lily, he hadn't found someone to move on with and he didn't want his ex-girlfriend to know that.

When Lily joined Frank up at the altar, the crowd was seated.

James watched with mild interest as Frank and Lily pledged their love to one another and they exchanged their vows. He wished Lily the best, even if he was jealous he hadn't found it for himself yet.

When the ceremony ended, James and Regulus headed to the reception area where they found themselves seated at a table with six other people.

"How do you know the lovely couple?" asked a perky blonde with blue eyes and a silver dress, looking at the others around the table. "I was Frank's training partner in the academy."

One by one, the others answered the question. Most of these people had met and befriend Frank or Lily in the last few years. None of them were Hogwarts friends.

"I attended school with them both," Regulus answered. "They were two years ahead of me and in Gryffindor."

Everyone's attention turned to James.

He thought for a moment before answering. This was a good chance to lie, but he knew that wouldn't get him anywhere. "I was a childhood friend of Frank's and I dated Lily in our seventh year," he replied.

His comment about dating Lily interested the others, prompting several questions. James smiled, politely answering a few questions.

Dinner was served followed by glasses and glasses of champagne with a round of toasts and speeches from the members of the wedding party and family. The dancing began soon afterwards.

All the while, James leaned into Regulus' side, happy to have the younger man there with him. As he thought about Regulus, James slowly came to realize a few things.

The first was that Regulus was _an excellent_ friend – the best really because he was willing to come to this wedding and pretending to be James' boyfriend. As he thought about what a great friend Regulus was, James noticed that Regulus was starting to pull away from him over the last few days. His answers were short and pointed, always polite. He smiles were reserved and forced.

The second thing James realized was how much Regulus cared about him. James would admit he was an oblivious, short-sighted idiot. But he _finally_ realized that Regulus cared about him as more than a friend.

That realization was followed by a quickened heartbeat. Regulus liked him, and Regulus was pulling away because James was an idiot and Regulus didn't James returned his feelings. As he thought, James _knew_ he returned those feelings. This pretend relationship was _only_ pretend because James was an idiot who didn't notice what was right in front of him.

Turning to look at Regulus, James smiled. He wasn't about to let this Slytherin slip through his fingers like a slimy snake – not that Regulus or Slytherins in general were slimy snakes. Regulus was a Slytherin with the heart of a Gryffindor, whether or not he would admit it.

"What are you looking at?" Regulus asked with a frown, catching James' stares.

"You," James answered, his smile turning flirty.

Regulus' cheeks turned pink. "Can you stop?" he asked, his tone guarded. "It's making me uncomfortable."

"No," James said, moving closer, "I don't plan to _ever_ stop. I'm gonna keep looking at you."

Regulus' eyes narrowed and his expression turned guarded.

"We both I'm an idiot," James began, reaching up to touch Regulus' cheek, "and I'm oblivious, but I do notice things. I've noticed a lot of things about you, lately."

James watched as Regulus' expression turned panicked and he tensed.

"And I apologize for taking so long to notice," James continued, "that you care about me."

Regulus squeezed his grey eyes shutting, trying to back away from James.

"And I apologize for being an idiot," the Gryffindor carried on to say, "because you're the best. You, Regulus Arcturus Black, are the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Forcing Regulus' face towards, James took a deep breath. "I love you," he told Regulus.

Regulus' grey eyes snapped open and he stared at James.

"I love you," James repeated. "You're the one for me."

Leaning forward, James captured Regulus' lips in a gentle kiss.

* * *

 **This was written for**

The Drabble Game: Liza / NeonDomino  
Request: James/Regulus in (Scenario) Fake Relationship: Character A hires Character B to pretend to their new significant other while attending their ex's wedding.

The Alphabet Challenge  
B: (Color) Blue

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
190\. (Drink) Champagne

The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts  
Season One, TOW The Stoned Guy: Write about someone seeking relationship advice.

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 711. Black and White

* * *

Gift for _Liza_ / _NeonDomino_.  
Count: ~1,000


	30. The Good-Looking Friend

This is a gift for _ChocolateWonder_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairings** : Sirius Black/Marlene McKinnon  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; modern setting; and everyone is a Muggle  
 **Prompt** : Marlene was a barista and she wrote her number on Sirius' cup, intending to write it on a James'. Sirius called. At least Marlene thought Sirius was cute.

 **Summary** : Marlene McKinnon was pleasantly surprised when she wrote her number on the wrong cup.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _029\. The Good-Looking Friend_

It was another day at work when Marlene McKinnon looked up and saw an attractive man that made her heart skip a beat. He was tall with dark hair, glasses, and handsome features. She watched him as he smiled and nodded to something his friend was saying. Ducking her head, Marlene debated her options. With a surge of courage, Marlene picked up attractive man's cup and she printed her name and cell phone number with a simple message – _Call me!_ – before she began making his drink and the drink of his friend.

Once the two drinks were finished, Marlene sat them down on the bar with a smile before calling out the orders. She backed away with a smile, watching from the corner of her eye as attractive man and his friend picked up their drinks.

Her smile disappeared when she saw attractive man's friend picked up the cup with her name and number. She froze, cursing herself for being such a barista cliché. Turning away, Marlene busied herself with making the next drink.

For the next twenty minutes, Marlene kept herself busy. When she looked up, she was surprised to see attractive man and his friend were seated at a table in the corner. Taking a minute, Marlene studied attractive man's friend. The friend was equally tall with long dark hair and grey eyes. While Marlene didn't find him as handsome as attractive man, he was good-looking. Marlene wouldn't mind if he called.

Turning back to work, Marlene forced herself to push attractive and good-looking friend to the back of her mind. She could drool over them later, on her break or when she was off work.

All too soon, Marlene was off of work. With a grin, she hung up her apron and grabbed her belongings. Before leaving the cafe, Marlene ordered her favorite coffee drink, wanting a caffeine boost before she headed off to university. As she waited, Marlene looked through the notifications on her cell phone. She had text message from an unknown number. Her eyes widened as she read it.

 _Unknown: What time do you get off? I know a good place that serves coffee. I'd love to treat you._

Biting her lip, Marlene thought about her reply.

"I guess you beat me to it, this time," a voice next to her said, starling her.

Glancing over her shoulder, Marlene found herself staring at attractive man's good-looking friend. Her eyes widened.

"I'm Sirius Black," he said, offering his hand.

Marlene took with a smile. "I'm Marlene McKinnon," she said.

"Would you be interested in grabbing a seat and talking?" he asked.

"How about we go next door for a bite to eat?" she suggested. Marlene didn't want to spend _more time_ in the cafe since she finished her shift.

Sirius quickly agreed.

Once Marlene's coffee was done, she grabbed before leading Sirius to the small restaurant next door. As they walked, they engaged in small talk – their careers, Sirius owned a bar and restaurant with his friends and Marlene was in university; and their favorite coffee drinks, a black coffee made from Coast Rican beans for Sirius and a Chai latte for Marlene.

As she talked with Sirius, Marlene was happy she wrote her cell phone number on the wrong cup. While Sirius' friend, James, was more attractive, Sirius was a relaxed and funny guy. It was a bonus that Sirius was good-looking.

* * *

 **This was written for**

The Drabble Game: AJ / ChocolateWonder  
Request: Sirius/Marlene in (Scenario) Coffee Shop: Character A is a barista and wrote their number on Character B's cup, but intended to write it on another customer's cup. Character B calls. At least Character A thought Character B was cute.

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
189\. (Drink) Coffee

The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts  
Season Seven, TOW Chandler Doesn't Like Dogs: Write about Sirius Black.

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 942. Black Coffee

* * *

Gift for _AJ_ / _ChocolateWonder_.  
Count: ~500


	31. The Little Matchmaker

This is a gift for _SiriusMaraduerFan_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Regulus Black/Lily Evans  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; mentions of femslash; modern; no magic; Harry is out of character; Harry is five; and things of a sexual nature are implied  
 **Prompt** : (Scenario) Lily, an attractive and single mom, hired Regulus, a college student, to take care of her son, Harry.

 **Summary** : When Harry repeated his mom's words, Lily Potter and Regulus Black found themselves in an awkward situation.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _030\. The Little Matchmaker_

Regulus Black rushed out of the building, in the middle of his mad dash across campus, as he tried to ignore the time. He was late – _very_ late – and this was an important date. As quickly and safely as he could, Regulus ran through the park, dodging other people and trees that came were in his way, as his grey eyes were fixed to the marble building appearing over the horizon.

Inwardly, Regulus cursed Dr. Dumbledore. The man was brilliant scholar, but he had difficulties with ending his lessons on time. The only thing worse than his sense of time was the man's sense of fashion. At least Dr. Grindlewald and Dr. McGonagall were around to oversee the man's wardrobe.

As the marble building loomed, slowly growing larger and larger, Regulus felt a sigh of relief. He wasn't there, yet, but he was close. Just a few more minutes and everything would be fine. Hopefully. Knowing Harry, the tyke would cross his arms and pout, but it would be short-lived.

Stopping outside the building, Regulus braced a hand on the exterior wall as he tried to catch his breath. It took a full minute before Regulus stood upright, feeling ready to face Harry and Mrs. Weasley.

Taking another breath, Regulus moved to the front of the building. He grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it open.

"Hey, Regulus!" called a semi-familiar voice.

Looking to his left, Regulus saw the form of Aurora Sinistra running towards him. She was waving an arm, as if trying to catch his attention.

Regulus glanced at the time on his watch, deciding he had a few minutes for Aurora. She probably wanted to discuss the homework assignment or the upcoming midterm in their Bio-Chemistry class.

Aurora came to stop next to him, bending over and placing her hands on her knees as she fought to catch her breath. "Man, you're fast!" she said with a laugh, pulling herself up a few seconds later.

Regulus raised an eyebrow in response, remaining quiet.

Aurora's laugh turned awkward before trailing off. "Any-woo," she said, "I wanted discuss the Bio-Chem midterm next week."

Nodding, Regulus wasn't that surprised. They had been friends for a few years, meeting back in their freshmen English class and taking a class or two together every term.

"Do you think we could get together and study?" she asked, playing with the strap on her messenger bag.

"Probably," Regulus replied, pulling out his cell phone. "What day were you thinking?"

Aurora shrugged. "Today or tomorrow," she answered. "I'm _absolutely_ clueless on where to start." She offered a weak smile.

Opening the calendar on his phone, Regulus frowned. He was busy with Harry for the next two days. Knowing Aurora, she would want to get together a few times between now and the midterm. She was rather hopeless at Bio-Chemistry. She was only taking the class to finish a requirement for her Astronomy degree. Aurora often liked to joke that she had her head in stars.

"Let me send a message," Regulus muttered, typing a text message to his boss. She didn't mind if Regulus had people over to her house while he was watching Harry, but he tried to ask each time.

Aurora nodded, not having anything else she could do.

With the message sent, Regulus entered the building with Aurora on his heels. It time to pick up Harry.

"Good afternoon, Regulus," greeted Mrs. Figg, one of the assistance of Grin's Preschool and Daycare. "I'll let Molly know you're here for Harry." She wondered off without another word or an acknowledgement.

"Still working as a nanny?" Aurora asked with a grin.

Regulus nodded. "It pays well," he muttered, "and Harry's a good kid."

Aurora's grin widened. "And his mom's hot," she added with a wink.

Refusing to agree or disagree, Regulus looked around the waiting room as his cheeks turned pink.

Aurora laughed.

Mrs. Figg returned a moment later with Mrs. Weasley and Harry trailing after her. Harry was smiling, cheerful and animately talking with his teacher as Mrs. Weasley smiled and nodded along. At the sight of Regulus, Harry's smile turned into frown.

"Bye, Mrs. Weasley," he said, turning to his teacher with a fake smile. "I'll see next Monday."

"Have a good weekend, Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley said in return.

Harry walked off to collect his belongings as Mrs. Weasley exchanged a few words with Regulus, reminding him they were closed on Friday and to have Harry's mom sign the permission slip for the upcoming zoo field trip.

Harry joined Regulus and Aurora a few minutes later. He latched onto Regulus' hand, sending a glare at Aurora.

"What's she doing here?" he asked as they exited the building.

Regulus frowned at Harry's tone. He was usually a polite kid.

"I'm arranging a study date with Regulus," Aurora answered. "We have a big test coming up Wednesday and Regulus has agreed to help me study."

Harry nodded, frown in place.

Before Regulus could question Harry, his phone chimed with a new text message. Pulling his cell phone out, Regulus read the message and placed the phone back in his pocket.

"If you're still interest, we can study now," Regulus told his classmate.

Aurora smiled, quickly agreeing.

Harry's frown deepened.

Unsure of what to say to Harry, Regulus led his young charge across the campus to one of the parking garages where he parked his car. Thanks to Lily's generosity, Regulus would afford to park campus.

At his car, Regulus placed his bag and Harry's in the trunk before helping Harry into his car-seat. All the while, he noticed Harry was quiet and frowning, which was unlike him. The last time Harry acted like this was a few weeks ago when he had a play date with his cousin, Dudley Dursley. While they were a few weeks apart in age, the boys didn't get along too well.

Throughout the afternoon, Regulus observed Harry closely. The young boy remained quiet and withdrawn, glaring at Aurora when he thought no one was looking. The behavior was alarming. Regulus made a mental note, wanting to discuss it with Lily. Despite Harry's unwelcoming attitude, Aurora smiled and continued to treat him well.

Since he wasn't the best cook, Regulus ordered pizza for dinner. He felt Aurora and Harry as he went to the door to pay the driver and receive the pizza. He was walking back to the kitchen when he heard Aurora and Harry talking, deciding to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"–with you today?" Aurora asked, her tone sounding hurt. "You're usually nice and fun, and today you're being mean and hurtful."

Harry remained quiet.

Aurora sighed. "You've hurt my feelings, Harry," she said. "I thought we were friends."

"I don't know if we can be," Harry muttered. His answer surprised Regulus.

"Why?" Aurora asked, her tone was gentle.

"'Cause I want mommy to be happy," came Harry's muttered response. "And you're hogging Regulus."

"Regulus is my friend," Aurora explained. "We've been friends for _three years_."

"Not uh," Harry said, childishly. "He's more than that. Regulus is your _boyfriend_! And he can't be _your_ boyfriend! He has to be my mommy's!"

Regulus' eyes widened at Harry's answer. Why would Harry think Lily needed Regulus to be happy? And why would he think they were dating, for that matter?

"Why do you think Regulus is my boyfriend?" Aurora asked. That wasn't the question Regulus wanted answered, but it was a good one to start with.

"'Cause you're always together," Harry replied. "Ya text and call, lots, and Regulus says you're funny."

"That's because we're friends," Aurora told him.

"Then why are you on a date?"

"What date?"

"Your 'study date'."

Aurora laughed. "Harry, a study date and a date are two different things," she explained. "A study date is when two or more people get together to study or do homework. A date is when two people go out and something special."

"Like the time mommy and Regulus went to dinner that week?"

"Maybe. You should ask your mom. Now, why do you want Regulus to your mom's boyfriend?"

That was a question Regulus was interested in.

"'Cause he makes mommy happy. She smiles and hums and she bought a new lipstick 'cause Regulus said it looked pretty on her. And 'cause I heard mommy telling Aunt Alice she wanted to do Regulus."

"Really?" Aurora's tone changed to interest. "Did she say anything else?"

"She wanted Regulus to take her on the table–"

"Pizza's here!" declared Regulus, deciding it was time to end that conversation. Harry did _not_ need to be saying those things and Regulus didn't need to hear his boss' son saying those things.

Aurora wore a wide grin and Harry was smiling.

Dinner went well with Harry talking and laughing with Aurora and Regulus. Towards the end, Lily arrived home. She headed upstairs to change before she joined them in the kitchen.

She greeted Harry with a kiss on the forehead. "How was your day?" she asked, taking a seat at the table.

"Good," Harry answered. "I learned lots."

"Like what?" his mother asked with a smile. She bite of pizza.

"Regulus and Aurora aren't boyfriend and girlfriend," the young boy replied, beaming. "That means you can do it with Regulus _now_ on the table."

Lily started coughing as her face turned red. "Harry, sweetheart, what are you talking about?" she wheezed. She glanced over at Regulus and Aurora.

Regulus had turned red while Aurora leaned forward in interest.

"You wanna be Regulus' girlfriend and go on _real_ dates, not study dates," Harry explained. "Though you can help Regulus with his homework, like me. You're really smart mommy. And you can do it with Regulus all over the house, like you told Aunt Alice."

Lily's face turned redder.

"Are you going to do it now?" Harry asked. "'Cause I really want ya to. It will make you happy."

"H-Harry," Regulus said, "what are we supposed to do?"

"Kiss," said Harry, rolling his eyes. "You should know the grown up code, Regulus, 'cause even _I_ know do it means kissing. Why else would mommy wanna do it with you all over the house?"

The more her son spoke, the more embarrassed Lily grew. She pressed her face into her hands.

Aurora laughed. "Harry, how about we go watch _Finding Dory_ while your mommy and Regulus do it," she said, between laughs. "Sometimes grown ups like to do it in private, like me and my girlfriend."

At the mention of his favorite movie, Harry dashed out of the kitchen. Aurora followed behind with a wink, leaving Regulus and Lily in an awkward silence.

"I'm _so_ sorry," Lily muttered with hands over her eyes.

Regulus thought about his options before asking, "Is it true?"

Lily peeked through her fingers. "Is what true?" she asked, sounding confused.

"That you're interested in a relationship," Regulus replied, choosing his words carefully. He needed to watch what he said around Harry since the boy seemed to be something a parrot, repeating what he heard.

"Does it matter?" Lily asked, her tone sound desperate.

"It does to me," Regulus told her. "I know I'm interested."

Lily's hands fell away from her face as she stared at Regulus with wide green eyes. "You are?"

Regulus nodded, unable to use his voice.

A smile slowly formed on Lily's lips. "Would you be willing to me, here at the table?" she asked, her tone soft and her smile a little mischievous.

Returning her smile, Regulus pulled the redhead into a passionate kiss.

It was thanks to Harry and his unknown manipulations that Regulus and Lily were getting together.

* * *

 **This was written for**

The Drabble Game: Lizzy / SiriusMarauderFan  
Request: Regulus/Lily in (Scenario) Babysitter: Character A is an attractive, single parent that hires Character B, a broke college student, to babysit or nappy their child.

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
Prompt: 114. (Character) Lily Potter

The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts  
Season One, TOW Rachel Finds Out: Write about a secret being revealed.

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 232. Years

Once Upon a Time Character Category Challenge-itition  
Jefferson/Mad Hatter: Write about manipulation.

* * *

Gift for _Lizzy_ / _SiriusMarauderFan_.  
Count: ~2,000


	32. Decisions and Ideas

This is a gift for _What'dIMiss_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Harry Potter/Luna Lovegood  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; soulmates; and soulmate identifying marking  
 **Prompt** : (Dialogue) "I recognize that you have reached a decision, but given that it is a stupid ass decision I have elected to ignore it."; and (Pairing) Harry/Luna

 **Summary** : A chanced run in with Harry led to Luna Lovegood hearing her magic Words.

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _031\. Decisions and Ideas_

Luna Lovegood shook her head as she watched Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in the library. The two were isolated than before with the school ostracizing Harry for being the fourth Champion in a deadly tournament and Hermione refusing to abandoned her friend. Familiar with the pain and loneliness, Luna debated joining them at their small table in the back of the library.

Picking up a book, Luna pretended to read over it as she thought about her options. She longed to make friends and she _knew_ Harry and Hermione would be excellent friends. What she didn't know was if they would accept her. Luna knew she was eccentric and that turned most people away because they saw her as weird and strange, meaning she wasn't worth their time.

With a sigh, Luna looked up from the book. She watched as Hermione pointed something in a book and Harry nodded along before scribbling away on his parchment.

Luna bit her lip as she traced the familiar letters on her left forearm. She had memorized her Words the moment her mother read them to her: _Please, pull a chair and join us_. Like countless times Luna longed to hear someone say those words to her. Whoever said them was likely to be her soulmate. But each time, she was disappointed and turned away, usually with laughter on her heels and tears in her eyes.

Why would this time be any different?

A few tears formed in the corners of her eyes as Luna returned the book to the shelf. Since she was turned away, she missed the shelf and the book fell onto the floor with a loud sound. As quickly as she could, Luna scrambled to pick up the book and return to the shelf so she could flee.

Whipping her eyes, Luna put the book on the shelf and she turned to leave when she heard a question.

"Are you alright?" a male voice asked.

Looking over her left shoulder, Luna found Harry and Hermione. Luna nodded, ducking her head.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Luna lied. Since her back was turned, she missed the look they exchanged.

"Do you wanna come join us?" Harry asked.

Luna's heart skipped a beat at the question. She had longed to hear that question for years. "A-are you sure?" she asked, turning to look at them.

Both Harry and Hermione offered her a smile.

 **...**

Over the next two week, Luna joined Harry and Hermione at the back table in the library. They didn't talk too much, only exchanging small talk and assisting one another on their homework. It was nice. Luna imagined this was what it was like to have friends. She liked this feeling.

With the looming date of the First Task, Luna noticed a growing tension between Harry and Hermione. There was something going on that Luna wasn't privileged to. She was curious, but she didn't push it. Luna didn't know what to do in this situation since she had never been in it before. As the days ticked by, the tension became harder to ignore.

"Do you want any help?" Luna asked one afternoon as she approached their table. "I know there's something going on, and I think it's related to the First Task. It's only days away."

Harry and Hermione shared a long look.

The longer they remained silent, the more nervous Luna grew. As their silence approached the two minute mark, Luna bit her lip as she tried to hold back tears as she turned.

"We know what the task is," Hermione said, "and we're thinking."

"Please, pull up a chair and join us," Harry added. "We would use some help."

Luna's eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. She knew those words – those were the Words on her arm. With a smile, Luna quickly took a seat.

"The First Task is dragons," Harry stated, his voice low. "There's four – one for each Champion."

"What type of dragons?" Luna asked, pulling out a piece of parchment.

"Chinese Fireball, Welsh Green, Swedish Short-snout, and Hungarian Horntail," Hermione listed."

"And they're all nesting mothers," Harry added.

Luna's eyes widened. "Nesting mothers are notoriously fierce and territorial," she said. "Your task might be to retrieve something."

Hermione nodded. "We were thinking along those lines," she admitted.

"What ideas do you have?" Luna asked.

"I've decided summoning my broom and flying," Harry replied. "All I need to do is master the Summoning Charm."

Reaching forward, Luna smacked Harry on the head. "I recognize that you've reached a decision," she began, "but given it's a stupid and reckless decision, I have elected to ignore it! Hermione, what are your thoughts?"

As Luna turned her attention to Hermione, she failed to notice the widening of Harry's green eyes. She did notice the choking sound he made.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked.

"I-I," Harry began, "I think I found my soulmate."

Luna's eyes widened. "R-really?" she said. "You said my Words, but I wasn't sure."

"I'm sure," Harry stated. "Your Words are unique and I don't think anyone else would say that to me."

Blushing, Luna ducked her head.

"So, after this task is over, would you be interested in going out?" Harry asked.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Luna agreed. The idea made her happy and it thrilled her.

This was a Monday that Luna would _forever_ remember.

* * *

 **This was written for**

The Drabble Game: PV / CrimsonGoldQueen  
Request: Harry/Luna in (Dialogue) "I recognize that you have reached a decision, but given that it is a stupid ass decision I have elected to ignore it."

The 12 Days of Christmas Challenge  
Prompts: (Pairing) Harry/Luna; (Day) Monday; and (Emotion) Happy

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
Prompt: 274. (Magical Creature/Race) Dragon

The FRIENDS Completion: The One With 472 Prompts  
Season Four, TOW Joey's New Girlfriend: Write a romance and combine in with drama or friendship.

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 554. Soulmates

Once Upon a Time Character Category Challenge-itition  
Grumpy: Write about a dreamer.

* * *

Gift for _PV_ / _WhatI'dMiss.  
_ Count: ~900


	33. Home

This is a gift for _NeonDomino_ in honor of Monthly One-Shot Exchange from June 2017. While I wasn't your assigned partner, I wanted to write this because I think everyone deserves their one-shot.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : James Potter/Hermione Granger  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; and time travel  
 **Prompt** : (AU) Homeless

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _032\. Home_

 _Home: The place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household._

Only a week into summer break, James Potter found himself bored. He was ready to return to school. His parents were busy with their work – his father at the Ministry and his mother with various charities. His friends were their own families – Remus was on vacation, Peter was catching up his cousins, and Sirius was under house arrest. There wasn't a lot for him to do.

Today, James ventured to Diagon Alley. He hoped to find some other people around his age or from Hogwarts. He was so bore James was willing to socialize and be civil with _Slytherins_! Unfortunately, he couldn't find anyone close to his age around Diagon Alley. With a sigh, he plumped into a chair outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor as he waited for his ice cream to come out.

A quick glance around the empty outside seating area told James all he needed to know about Diagon Alley for the day. Maybe he should have stayed home and worked on his summer homework. At least that would have been productive.

"Here you go," the waitress said as she placed his ice cream order down, startling James.

Glancing at the waitress, James couldn't help but notice she was pretty with uncontrollably curly, brown hair, brown eyes that looked like chocolate, and a pretty smile with dimples. She wore a green robe over blue jeans and a dark shirt. She looked to be around the same age as him, but James didn't recognize her.

"I'm James," he said with a smile, his tone eager.

"Pleased to meet you James," the waitress said with a polite smile. "Can I get you anything else?"

"A lovely name to go with that lovely smile?" he suggested with a wink.

The waitress merely raised an eyebrow. "It's Hermione," she answered. "If that's all then I need to get back to work."

James watched her go with a thoughtful smile. She was seemed to be amused by his actions. That was unusual. Most girls ignored him or batted their eyelashes at him, trying to catch his attention. As he ate his ice cream, James kept an eye on the ice cream parlor for any sign of the lovely Hermione. She made about cleaning and organizing things as she did her job.

 **...**

James returned everyday for the next week. Hermione worked five of those days. She greeted him by name with that lovely smile of hers and he quickly grew fond of it. He preferred Hermione's love and _James_ to Lily Evans' narrowed green eyes and _Potter_ , which use to get his heart racing.

"Where's Hermione?" James asked with a frown he walked in on a third day. There was no sight of Hermione or her lovely smile.

"I don't know," Florean Fortescue answered. "She sent a message three days ago saying she needed time off for a family emergency."

James' frown deepened. In the small talk he exchanged with Hermione, he learned she was only child and her parents were deceased. "Do you know her address?" he asked, thinking about sending an owl.

Florean looked sad. "She doesn't have one," he replied. "She's been staying at the Leaky Cauldron, and according to Tom she left three days ago."

Paying for his ice cream, James found his mind whirling. He didn't know that Hermione was homeless. She didn't _look_ like it. Shaking his head, James forcibly cleared the last thought. He didn't know what a homeless person looked like because he had never met anyone homeless before.

Without any information to go on, James focused on his summer homework as the days slowly passed. James found he concentrated best on his homework outside Florean Fortescue's with a fresh ice cream as he kept a lookout for Hermione. Her boss didn't have too many updates, sharing the little he knew with James. Hermione's family emergency was taking longer than expected, but she should be back by the end of July.

 **...**

The end of July arrived a few weeks later. James was done with his summer homework and he was reading his textbooks, taking notes, as he thought about his future. When he was younger, James wanted to play professor Quidditch and last year he told Professor McGonagall he wanted to be an auror. Now, he was thinking about following his father into the Ministry.

On the thirty-first of July, he ordered his usual ice cream from Florean before heading outside. He missed the smile of relief on the man's face. As he waited for his order to be delivered, James opened his Transfiguration book. With all the extra studying, James was _close_ to completing his animagus training.

"I hope you're planning to register with the Ministry," a familiar voice said. "It's a hundred galleon fee _and_ a year in Azkaban if you're caught."

Turning, James' eyes widened.

Hermione was smiling at him with an eyebrow raised.

Unable to contain himself, James pulled her into a spontaneous kiss.

To his pleasure, Hermione returned the kiss.

" _Now_ , that's a welcome back," Hermione said with a smile.

James flushed. "I'm glad you're back," he admitted.

"Obviously," she teased.

Against his will, James' cheeks darkened in color. "How do you know about the Ministry registration?" he asked, changing subjects.

"I had to register when I moved here," Hermione answered with a shrug. "It's a simple: fill out a form and demonstrate your form to an employee."

James' hazel eyes widened. "Think you can help me?" he asked, his tone eager. The sooner he learned to shift and the sooner he mastered his form meant the sooner he would be able to join Moony during full moons. When they left school, Peter was doing the best.

"I get off at two," Hermione told him.

 **...**

With Hermione's help James discovered his form was a stag and he had it mastered by the end of August. He took a trip to the Ministry with his parents and their lawyer to register his form. Since he was underage, his parents didn't want his name or his form to be public knowledge and the presence of their lawyer ensured that.

"I'm gonna miss," James told Hermione on a busy Saturday, a few days before he returned to Hogwarts.

Hermione offered him a sad smile. "I'm sure you'll forget all about me once you're reunited with Sirius, Remus, and Peter," she said. "Then you can return to winning the heart of the fair Lily Evans."

James frowned. "I'm done with Lily," he declared, shaking his head. "I have you, I don't want _or_ need Evans."

Brown eyes narrowed. "But you've been after Evans for years," Hermione stated. "You just _can't_ give that up."

"I am," James said, "for you. You're better than Evans."

Hermione didn't looked convince, and James vowed he would convince her.

"Here," James said, presenting Hermione with a folded piece of parchment.

With a smile, Hermione took it. Opening it, she read, " _James of the House of Potter invites Miss Hermione Granger to occupy the residence of Potter Cottage in Godric's Hallow for the fee one galleon in month in hopes that she can find herself at home_." Her brown eyes teared up a bit, "James!"

He smiled, placing a hand on top of hers. "I want you to have a place to call home," he told her, his voice soft and gentle, "and I know you don't take charity hence the rent."

Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "You're something else, James Potter," she stated before kissing him.

* * *

Words: ~1,100

* * *

 **This was written for**

The 12 Days of Christmas Challenge  
Prompts: (Title) Violence in the Forest; (Day) Sunday; (Date) December 22; and (Animal) Snake

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
Prompt: 194. (Era) Marauders Era

The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts  
Season Three, TOW Monica and Richard are Just Friends: Write about Hermione Granger.

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 13. Time Goes By

Once Upon a Time Character Category Challenge-itition  
Neal Cassidy/Bealfire: Write about a character who is homeless.

Monthly One-Shot Exchange – June  
Pairing: James/Hermione  
Genre: Fluff  
Prompts: (AU) Homeless; and (Situation) First Meet/Get Together


	34. Make You Feel

This is a gift for _TheRottenJas_ in honor of Monthly One-Shot Exchange from June. While I wasn't their assigned partner, I wanted to take the time to write something because everyone deserves a one-shot.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; and implied character deaths (Lucius and Narcissa)  
 **Prompts** : (AU) Art Student

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _033\. Make You Feel_

Titling her head for a better angle, a frown formed on Hermione's lips as she stared at the painting. It was a piece by a new artist. The painting depicted a young boy in a graveyard under a cloudy, gray sky. Most of the painting was in dark colors, expect for the boy. The boy had platnium blonde hair – vaugely reminding Hermione of her friend Luna's hair – and he was placing a bounquet of flowers on a grave. Looking at the painting, Hermione could feel the sadness and the loneliness.

Blinking a few times, she turned to look at the plaque underneath of the painting. The painting was entitled _Beginning of Loneliness_ and the arist was identified as _D. L. Black_. Typed in a smaller font was a line: _he was going back to the place he hoped he would never see again_. Below that read _In honor of my parents_.

A bittersweet smile graced Hermione's lips. That was one way to describe visiting someone's grave, escpecially those of a parent's. Personally, Hermione hadn't lost either of her parents, but one of her best friends had lost both of his. There were times when Harry would go visit his parents' graves – usually on a birthday or an anniversary with one of his parents' friends. Most of the time, Harry liked visiting his parents' important places – the restaurant where James proposed, the little ice cream store where they went every weekend, the bookstore Lily visited a few times a month, and the candy store that sold the best fudge.

Hermione spent a few more minutes looking at the painting. Biting her lip, she thought about her assignment. She was suppose to analyze a painting for her Art and Vision class. Knowing her professor, Hermione decided to focus on a newer artist. Dr. Petunia Evans liked it when her students focused on _new_ because she wasn't teaching an art history class.

Pulling out her notebook, Hermione flipped to a new page. She fingered her zebra pen as she stared at the painting and thought about the painting. With a nod to herself, she quickly started jotting down her thoughts, opinions, observations, and things she needed to analyze. Every few minutes, she would glance up at the painting then return to her notebook. Before she knew it, Hermione had filled three pages.

As she put her notebook back in her bag, she heard someone laughing to her left. Looking over her shoulder, Hermione found herself blushing. It was a rather attractive man. He was tall with pale skin, white blonde hair, and gray eyes.

"Like what you see?" he asked with teasing grin.

Hermione's blush deepened as she tried to think of an answer as she grew insecure. Yes, he was good-looking, but did she _really_ want to say that _out loud_?

"The painting?" he added, motioning to _Beginning of Sorrow_.

Turning back to the painting, Hermione shrugged. "I think it's a good piece," she explained. "Looking at it makes me feel the loneliness and the hopelessness." She paused for a moment, "I guess I like it, but I don't like those feelings."

The man smiled, making Hermione feel something warm in her chest.

"You make an excellent point," he agreed. Offering his hand, he said, "I'm Draco."

She took it with a smile, saying, "I'm Hermione."

* * *

Words: ~500

* * *

 **Notes  
** –Title came from "Still into You" by Paramore.

* * *

 **This was written for**

The 12 Days of Christmas Challenge  
Prompts: (Title) Beginning of Sorrow; (Line) _he was going back to a place he'd hoped he would never see again_ ; and (Emotion) Insecure

The Alphabet Challenge  
Z: Zebra

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
Prompt: 206. (Feeling) Loneliness

Climb to the Top of Mount Potter Challenge  
Prompt: (Word) Zebra

The FRIENDS Competition: The One With 472 Prompts  
Season Two, TOW The Bullies: Write about Draco Malfoy.

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 721. Black Clouds

Monthly One-Shot Exchange – June  
Pairing: Draco/Hermione  
Genres: Romance; and Angst  
Prompts: (AU) Art Student; and (Song) "Still into You" by Paramore


	35. Lost

This is a gift for _MicaNgocLan_ in honor of Monthly One-Shot Exchange from June. While I wasn't their assigned partner, I wanted to write something so everyone could get a one-shot.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Harry Potter/Hermione Granger  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; character death (Ron Weasley); Fred Weasley lives; and it's a sad fic  
 **Prompt** : (Genre) Tragedy

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _034\. Lost_

It was a sad day, though the weather disagreed. It was sunny and bright with high temperatures. The weather did nothing to change the mood. A large crowd had formed to pay their respects to Ronald Bilius Weasley, a hero from the Second Blood Wars and the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

Hermione Granger had her head buried in Harry's shoulder as she listened to various people speak. Her brown eyes were closed and tears continued to come. Hermione had been crying for the better part of a week – since she learned of Ron's death during the Battle of Hogwarts.

As best he could, Harry offered his friend comfort as they grieved the loss of their best friend. He was filled with an overwhelming sense of guilt. Glancing over at the Weasley family, Harry knew he wasn't the only one.

Percy Weasley clutched the hand of his long-time girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, as he sat there. Fred Weasley was seated between Percy and George, looking lost and confused. George didn't look any better.

Sometime during the Battle of Hogwarts, Ron broke away from Harry and Hermione when he came upon his brothers. He watched as Fred, George, and Percy were battled Death Eaters near the Room of Requirements. He saw a Death Eater come out of nowhere and cast a lethal curse that had him running towards his brothers. As quickly as he could, Ron cast a Shield Charm between himself and his brothers, taking the force of the blast and saving his brothers.

"–we are all blessed for having known Ron Weasley," Kingsley Shacklebolt said.

After Shacklebolt was done speaking, Minerva McGongall went next. She spoke of the daring boy she watched grow up into a brave and noble young man, highlighting his loyalty to his friends and family. When Minerva was done speaking, she handed a vase of flowers over to Mrs. Weasley, who was crying in her husband's arms.

Hermione shifted on his shoulder, causing Harry to feel with shame. Here he was at Ron's funeral with Hermione in his arms. Harry was well aware of Ron's feelings for Hermione. In the end, Harry got the girl.

The rest of the funeral passed quickly as Harry tried and failed to focus on it. The sense of guilt increased. Hermoine continued to cry on his shoulder.

After the funeral was over, Harry took Hermione back to their rented room at the Leaky Caldron. While they were welcome at the Burrow, either of them felt like joining the Weasleys. It was hard to be around them without Ron.

Harry watched as Hermione changed out of her black robes and into a large orange shirt that Harry knew belonged to Ron at one point. She curled up on the bed, hugging a pillow close as she continued to cry.

With a sigh, Harry turned his attention to the stack of mail. He didn't know what to do. How did he move on from the loss of his best friend? Could he even move on?

More importantly, _did he want to_?

Harry ran a hand through his hair. He just didn't know.

Turning to watch Hermione, Harry began to form a plan. While he didn't know to do, he knew where to start. Maybe it was time to leave England. Hermione's parents were somewhere in Australia. With the war over, it was safe for them to come home. Hopefully, they could help.

* * *

Words: ~500

* * *

 **This was written for**

The 12 Days of Christmas Challenge  
Prompts: (Words) Blessed; and (Object) Flower

The Alphabet Challenge  
V: Vase

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
Prompt: 202. (Feeling) Grief

Climb to the Top of Mount Potter  
Prompt: (Word) Shame

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 834. Goodbye

Monthly One-Shot Exchange – June  
Pairing: Harry/Hermione  
Genre: Tragedy  
Prompt: (Word) Blessed


	36. Fascination

This was written for _Firediva0_ in honor of Monthly One-Shot Exchange from June. While I wasn't their assigned partner, I wanted to write something so everyone could get a one-shot.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairings** : Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger, and Tom Riddle/Harry Potter  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; slash; time travel;  
 **Prompts** : (Weather) Thunderstorm; and (Color) Purple

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _035\. Fascination_

It was a group effort. While Harry could do it alone, they knew it would be dangerous. He needed help. By going with him, Ron and Hermione understood what they were sacrificing. By going with him, it was a one way ticket to the past. They were leaving behind their families. Ron and Hermione were willing to make the sacrifice, knowing Harry needed the help and he would benefit from their presence and friendship.

On the first of September of 1944, Hogwarts welcomed the first exchange students in almost a century. It was a landmark occasion. Three students transferred in from a small school Norway. The three were Sorted after the first years. Hermione Granger went to Ravenclaw while Ron King to Gryffindor, and Harry Peverell to Slytherin.

Despite being Sorted into different Houses, the three of them remained close friends. According to rumors, Granger and King were a couple and Peverell like King's half-brother. They were annoyingly tight-lipped about their past, refusing to answer most questions about their old school and the reason behind the transfer – beside Granger's "wanting a better education," which only her fellow Ravenclaws believed.

Tom Riddle had a slight fascination with them. Granger was an academic rival while King had a brilliant and strategic mind and Perevell was a loner. Out of them, Tom found Granger and King to be the most interesting.

He changed his mind in November when he saw Perevell flying his broom around in a thunderstorm. King and Granger were nearby, keeping an eye on him while they were huddled together underneath a blanket.

Following that day, Tom kept a closer eye on Peverell as his interest in the other young man grew. He noticed things he hadn't before. While Peverell presented himself as a standard student, he had an easy time with the spellwork in class and he tried to help his classmates from time to time.

Tom watched Peverell from the distance for a month. It was over the winter holidays when most of the students and the staff were gone, visiting their homes and families for the holidays. There were only twenty students at Hogwarts with four members of the staff to keep an eye on them. Tom was relieved Dumbledore wasn't among them.

The first time they spoke, Peverell approached him, much to Tom's irritation. He was planning to make the first move, but Peverell beat him to it.

"Here," Peverell said, tossing a package onto Tom's bed. "It's a Christmas gift," he added in explanation before dropping onto his bed.

Tom looked over the package. Why would Peverell get him a gift? It wasn't like they were friends or anything.

Curiosity peaked, Tom opened the package. What could Peverell get him? Since they weren't friends, it was likely that Peverell picked up some chocolate and sweets at Honeyduke's. That's what a normal person would do.

Tom was surprised to find two books and a set of quills. The two books were clearly old and had been gently used. One was a book was _The Tales of the Beedle the Bard_ , and the other book was _A History of Pure-blood Families of the United Kingdom_.

Glancing over the two books, Tom was surprised. The first one was a collection of children's stories. Despite living in the Wizarding World, Tom hadn't bothered looking into children's literature. If these children's stories were anything like muggle fairytales and folk, there would be a lot to learn and the stories would reveal about the society and culture. The second book was large, detailing the numerous pure-blood families with genealogy and family history.

"I thought you would like them," Peverell stated, leaning back against his purple pillow. He offered Tom a smirk as he crossed his arms.

* * *

Words: ~600

* * *

 **This was written for**

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
Prompt: 126. (Character) Tom Riddle

Colors of the Rainbow Challenge  
Blue: (Prompt) Thunderstorm/Rain

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 538. Lost in Time

Monthly One-Shot Exchange – June  
Pairings: Ron/Hermione; and Tom/Harry  
Character: Harry Potter  
Genre: Romance  
Prompt: (Weather) Thunderstorm


	37. Second Chance

This is for _public static void_ , my partner for the first round of _Battleships_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Ron Weasley/Lavender Brown  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; and het  
 **Prompt** : (Word) Better

* * *

 **To Love a Lion** _ **  
** _36\. Second Chance__

When a note landed in front of Lavender Brown, she jumped at it's sudden appearance. Stealing a quick glance, she tried and failed to determine who it came from. A glance in the direction of Professor Flitwick determined it was a good time to open the note.

Unfolding the note, Lavender scowled. She knew who it was from based on the handwriting. Ron Weasley had neat and even penmanship. A sense of rage filled Lavender at the sight of her ex-boyfriend's handwriting. Why was he sending her notes?

Resisting the urge to glance over her shoulder at him, Lavender placed the note under her sheet of parchment as she tried to focus on the Charms lesson.

A few minutes later, curiosity got the better of her. She moved her parchment to the side in order to write Ron's note.

 _Lav,_

 _I'm sorry. I wasn't a good boyfriend to you. I know I took you for granted and I know I hurt you. And I know I have no right to say this, but it's true: I miss you and I hope you miss me._

 _If you do, then please consider my invitation to Hogsmeade next weekend._

 _Always yours,_

 _Ron_

Lavender's eyes widen as she read over the note. The urge to turn and look at Ron returned tenfold. She bit her lip as she considered her options and her next course of action. She knew Parvati would support her decision, but she would tell Lavender to make Ron work for it. He _had_ to earn her forgiveness and a second chance.

But Lavender wanted her Won-Won back. She _missed_ him.

After a moment of thought, she dipped her quill in her signature purple ink before she wrote a reply for her own.

 _Ron,_

 _When you said Hermione's name, you hurt me. It broke my heart. Before I even think about giving you another chance, I need to know where your relationship with Hermione stands. I can accept her as your best friend and a member of the family, I will not accept any deep romantic feelings between you. I deserve a boyfriend interested in me and only me._

 _And yes, I do miss you._

 _Always,_

 _Lav_

Before she think about it, Lavender charmed the ink dry before she folded the note. Glancing at the professor, she flicked her wand and sent the note back to Ron.

* * *

 **Count:** ~375

* * *

 **This was written for**

Battleships With Your Ships  
Pairing: Ron/Lavender

Pairing Boot Camp: Pairing Diversity  
Prompt: 33. Better


	38. Desire

This is for _public static void_ , my partner for the first round of _Battleships_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; and het  
 **Prompt** : (Word) Breath; and (Word) Petite

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _037\. Desire_

The first time she spotted him, he was talking with Harry Potter and a petite, plump, redheaded woman. Based on the red hair, Fleur Delacour assumed the handsome man with the long red hair and the dragon fang earring and the woman were related – most likely mother and son. In fact, it was safe to assume they were related to Potter's other redheaded friends and Housemates – the twins, Ron, and the young girl.

Throughout the conversation with her parents and Gabrielle, Fleur found herself repeatedly looking over at the attractive redheaded man. There was something about him that drew her in. she couldn't look away for long.

On her umpteenth glance at him, the redheaded man met her eyes. He smiled and winked at her before turning to talk with Potter. The action found Fleur blushing and her breath caught in her throat, which was highly unusual for her. She didn't blush! She made others blush and lose their breath.

She would make him blush!

A thrill ran down her spine as Fleur found herself thinking about this as a competition. Who would get the other to blush faster and turn the most alarming shade of red.

Staring at him, Fleur waited for him to look back at her.

It took five minutes for him to look over, and their eyes met a second time.

Fleur smiled as she mouthed, _"Let's find somewhere private to talk."_

His blue eyes were fixated on her mouth, causing Fleur's smile to turn into a smirk. He nodded, his eyes glancing over at his mother and Potter before returning to her.

It took the redhead another hour to approach her. He found her in the entrance hall, an hour before the Third Task was scheduled to start.

"I'm Bill Weasley," he said, stopping in front of her. His voice spent a shiver down her spine.

"Fleur Delacour," she said with a smile.

* * *

 **Count** : ~330

* * *

 **This was written for**

Battleships With Your Ships  
Pairing: Fleur/Bill

Character Boot Camp: Character Diversity  
Prompt: 02. Breath

Pairing Boot Camp: Pairing Diversity  
Prompt: 06. Petite


	39. Counting Stars

This is a gift for _Fire The Canon_ in honor of _The Drabble Game_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Sirius Black/Marlene McKinnon  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; and mentions of original characters  
 **Prompt** : (Song) "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic; (Word) Jelly; and (Word) Work

* * *

 _Lately I been, I been losing sleep  
Dreaming about the things that we could be  
_–"Counting Stars" by OneRepublic from _Native_

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _38\. Counting Stars_

Marlene McKinnon found sleep wasn't easy that night. She sighed, opening her eyes to stare up at the canopy of her four-poster bed. A small smile formed on her lips as she stared up. In darkness, she could the glowing stars she decorated her canopy with. The muggle glow-in-the-dark stars formed the constellation of Canis Major. Sirius was the largest star in the constellation.

As quickly as the smile formed, it was gone as she continued to stare at the star that represented Sirius. Staring at the constellation and _that star_ made her think of Sirius Black, the man she loved and wanted to marry. It was heartbreaking to think about Sirius and their relationship. Since he was no long Heir Black, her parents were looking into other wizards for their daughter.

Closing her eyes, Marlene rolled onto her side. Her parents could look all they wanted, but there wasn't another wizard out there for her. Sirius Orion Black was the only man she wanted, and she would make sure she got him. After all, Gryffindors were known for being reckless and daring – especially in pursuit of what they wanted.

For the next hour, Marlene tossed and turned before giving up on sleep. It wasn't coming to her tonight, and she was starting to feel restless. Pulling out a change of clothes and her bag, she headed into the bathroom for a quick shower before she went to the common room.

In the common room, she was happy to see there was a fire lit in the fireplace. Walking over, she plumped down in her favorite armchair before pulling out her Transfigurations textbook. Since she had trouble sleeping this was the perfect time for schoolwork. Beside if Marlene wanted to pursue her dream job as broom designer, then she needed to get perfect grades.

She had big plans after leaving Hogwarts. If she had the grades, then she was going to get her Mastery in Arthimancy before trying to get a job at her cousin's broom company. The Bolt Racing Broom was a new name in broomsticks, and Ivy had the vision to make the company grow, she only needed time and talent before it took off. Then she would need someone to advisor her broom. A professional Quidditch player would be the best option, but those were connections Ivy lacked. Luckily, Marlene had one connection to Jennifer Morgan, who was currently a Beater on the Gryffindor House team. According to the Hogwarts rumor mill, Morgan already had offers from the Holyhead Harpies.

As Marlene settled in and started reading, time started to pass by quickly. Before she knew it, people were joining her in the common as her Housemates slowly woke up.

She was startled when someone came up behind her and covered her eyes, blocking her view of her Ancient Runes textbook.

"Guess who, Mar?" the familiar voice of her boyfriend asked.

Marlene relaxed as she pretended to think about it. After a minute, she guessed, "Is that you, Sirius?"

"Of course," he responded, removing his hands, "who else would it be?"

Shrugging, Marlene marked the page in her textbook before closing it. "Sometimes Lily likes to surprise me," she said.

Sirius walked around the armchair until he stood in front of Marlene. Wordlessly, he offered her his hand, which she took with a smile before allowing him to pull her up. Once they were facing each other, Marlene leaned over and greeted with her boyfriend with a proper good morning kiss.

As she pulled back, Sirius shot his signature grin at her. That grin never failed to make her heart feel like jelly. Merlin, she loved that man.

"Would you allow me to escort you to breakfast this fine morning?" he asked.

"I can't think of anything I'd rather do," she replied in honestly.

Sirius' grey eyes softened at her answer. He offered his arm.

With a smile of her own, Marlene took the offered arm.

Arm and arm, the pair exited the common room and walked down to the Great Hall.

* * *

 **This was written for**

The Drabble Game  
For: Ashleigh / Fire The Canon  
Request: Sirius/Marlene in (Song) "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
Prompt: 32. Work

If You Dare Challenge  
Prompt: 274. Start from Scratch

Pairing Boot Camp: Pairing Diversity  
Prompt: 37. Jelly

* * *

Count: ~700

* * *

Notes

 _Ivy Fawley_ (b. 18 September, 1955) was a half-blood witch, and only daughter of Lord Chester Fawley and his wife, Peony. Through her father, she is the Heir of House Fawley. During her time at Hogwarts (1966 through 1973), she was Sorted into Hufflepuff and she was an active supporter of her House's Quidditch. While she didn't play the sport herself, she had a deep love of flying and a passion for watching games. Both led her to forming and founding The Bolt Racing Broom Company.

 _Jennifer Morgan_ (b. 20 Apirl, 1962) was a muggle-born witch, and the only child Stacey Morgan, a former professional tennis player. As young child, she was taught tennis by her mother. During her days as a Gryffindor (1973 through 1980), Jennifer discovered a love of flying and playing Quidditch. While Jennifer can play each position, her favorite was Beater. Following her graduation, Jennifer went onto the play professional Quidditch as a Beater for the Holyhead Harpies.


	40. Changes

**Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Tom Riddle, Senior/Holly Peverell-Slytherin  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; female!Harry Potter (Holly Peverell-Slytherin); het; time travel; and female!Tom Marvolo Riddle (Tamsin Lily Slytherin)  
 **Prompts** : (Setting) Little Hangleton; and (Word) Fix

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _039\. Changes_

Honestly, leave it to Holly Potter to get stuck in the past by seventy years when that kind of time travel is impossible. Then again, Holly Potter was practically synonymous with _impossible_.

Holly wasn't entirely sure how this happened, but it was all Ron Weasley's fault! He was bumped into a junior unspeakable, causing them to drop the new time-turners into the potion cauldron Holly was working with.

Then _poof_!

Holly found herself standing in the Department of Mysteries in the year 1926. She spent a few weeks trying to find her way back before giving up, realizing that there was no way to fix it and she would be stuck in the past. After that realization, she took a few days to mope around.

Since she was stuck in the past, Holly decided she would change things. Things would be different this time around starting with Tom Riddle. This time, he would grow up in a loving household and he would learn to be a decent human being. Holly didn't believe that he was incapable of loving someone because he was conceived using love potions.

Currently, it was October. She had two months before Tom would be born. That was enough time to get her things in order and establish a new identity. The first thing she did was take a trip to Gringotts to open an account and deposit her money. She claimed the House of Peverell and House of Slytherin for herself. The goblins were willing to forge the necessary documents for the right fee.

With those documents in hand, Holly went to the Ministry of Magic to establish her residency in England. She claimed to be moving from Wales after the deaths of her parents in the Great War.

Once she was established as Lady Peverell-Slytherin, Holly got to work gathering allies from various Light, Dark, and Neutral families. She helped pass laws regarding muggle-born children and muggle-raised children. Once accidental magic was detected, a magical social worker would look in on the child for any signs of child abuse. Then the child would be monitored and checked in. If there was child abuse, then the child would be removed and the muggles would have their memories modified. The child would be placed in a magical orphanage, waiting to be adopted into a magical family.

The system wasn't perfect, and there were holes where children could fall through, but it worked and there were results. Magical families were happy to adopt to adopt muggle-born children, despite their blood. New blood was important in pure-blood families, and once the family magic excepted the child, all was fine.

On the thirty-first of December, Harry made preparations to adopt Tom Marvolo Riddle. First thing was deciding what to rename him. The decision was easier than Harry thought it would be. As a descent of Slytherin, Tom would become the Heir of Slytherin. Holly decided on Thomas Salazar Slytherin.

While preparing for Tom, Holly bought Slytherin's Locket from Caractacus Burke using leprechaun's gold. A week after Tom's birth, Holly arrived to Wool's Orphanage in London. When she walked in, she was surprised to a handsome young man with jet black hair, dark eyes, and pale skin talking to Mrs. Cole.

Something about that man was familiar, but Holly couldn't place it. The young man was asking about his ex-wife and their child. Mrs. Cole, Holly could tell, was lying when she denied not knowing who he was talking about. The news left the young man dejected.

As the young man walked passed Holly with his head hung in defeat, Holly recognized him. _That_ was Tom Riddle Senior, Tom's muggle father. From what Holly remembered, Tom Riddle never showed up looking for his son.

With her eyes narrowed, Holly turned her attention to Mrs. Cole. It was easy to enchant her, getting the woman to spill everything. She didn't think the child should be raised by a single man – no matter what the blood relationship was. Holly quickly acquired the child, whom she was surprised to find was a _girl_ named Tammy Marvola Riddle. Holly took her new _daughter_ , trying to think of a new name for her.

After a week, Holly had decided on a name for her new daughter Tamsin Lily Slytherin. In February, Holly decided to find Tom Riddle and introduce the man to his daughter. The man deserved to know his daughter, and Holly was confident in retaining full custody of Tamsin.

At the beginning of the month, Holly sent a letter. They arranged a meeting at Riddle Manor in Little Hangleton. That first meeting was little awkward. It was supervised by Tom's parents, Thomas and Mary.

"How do we know you won't bewitch our son?" Thomas Riddle asked as the butler showed Holly and Tamsin into the sitting room where the family was waiting.

"Father!" Tom said, looking at his parents. He turned to look at Holly, but his gaze fell on to Tamsin.

"Here," Holly said, offering up her holly wand. She had two wands, but no one else needed to know that.

Tom took the wand with a smile, sliding it into his pocket.

"How do we know this _really_ our granddaughter?" Mary Riddle demanded.

The question caught Holly off guard.

"Mother!" Tom said, glaring at the woman. He looked back over at Tamsin. "She's my daughter," he whispered. "I just know it."

Thomas and Mary shared a look.

"Of course, you know," Mary said, smiling at her son.

That first visit lasted a few hours. Tom spent most of it holding his daughter or watching her closely. Mary cooed over her granddaughter while Thomas looked on with a frown.

The next ten visits passed in a similar fashion. When Holly arrived to the Riddle Manor, she would hand Tom her wand and he would spend time, holding his daughter. It was obvious that Tom had a hard time returning his daughter to Holly with each visit.

"Can I keep her longer?" Tom begged at the end of one visit. Tamsin was cradled closely.

Holly felt her heart break at the sight. It was clear Tom loved his daughter, despite how she was conceived and his ex-wife.

"Please?" Tom begged, stepping closer to Holly.

"How much longer?" Holly asked.

Tom looked down at his sleeping daughter. "Forever?" he asked, meeting Holly's eyes.

* * *

Count: ~1,000

* * *

 **This was written for**

Build a Zoo Challenge  
Owl (Enclosure): (Setting) Little Hangleton

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
48\. Fix


	41. Interest

This was written for _SugarOo_.

* * *

 **Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Bill Weasley/Hollis Potter  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; female!Harry Potter (Hollis); het; soulmates; soulmate identifying marks; and age difference (24/14)  
 **Prompts** : (Pairing) Bill/Harry; (Setting) The Burrow; (Theme) female!Harry Potter; and (Word) Interest

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _040\. Interest_

When Hollis Potter stumbled out of the fireplace, Bill Weasley quickly moved to assist her. It was a force of habit. This was something he had been doing since he was eleven – when his Words manifested. According to his Words, this was how he was likely to meet his soulmate.

He was able to catch her before she fell onto the floor – face first.

"Oh, thank you," she mumbled. "I'm hopeless at flooing. I tend to stumble and fall."

Bill's blue eyes widened and his arms tightened around. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you," he said.

Her green eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "A-are you...?" her voice trailed off as she met his eyes.

He stared into her eyes for a minute or two before he felt their magic connect and bond. A smile formed on his lips. "I'm Bill Weasley," he told her, "and we are soulmates."

Her mouth opened a little further before she closed it, deciding to smile.

"I hate to ruin your moment," George Weasley said with a smirk, "but you might want to move. Dad should be coming through _any_ minute."

Bill resisted the urge to glare at his little brother because what he was correct. Unless he wanted to risk being knocked into, he would need to move. It wasn't whether the safety of his soulmate.

Keeping her in his arms, Bill took a few steps away from the fireplace.

A blush formed on her cheeks. "I'm Hollis," she said, her cheeks turning redder by the second.

Bill smirked. He had assumed as much, but it was nice to have the confirmation. He had heard plenty about Hollis Jocelyn Potter from his younger siblings. Since first learning about her from the twins, Bill had been interested in meeting her. That interest only grew the more he learned about her.

She was one of Ron's best friends – along side Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. She was the Youngest Seeker in a Century, playing on the Gryffindor Team with the twins. She was a nice girl, if a little reckless, according to Percy, and she was awesome, according to Ginny.

"It's a pleasure," he said.

The color her cheeks continued to darken.

"Would you be interested in going for walk this evening?" Bill asked, feeling bold and wanting to spend time with Hollis. He had been dreaming of this moment – meeting his soulmate – since he was eleven. Now that it was here, Bill wasn't sure how to proceed. He had always expected his soulmate to be older – closer to his own age. Instead, there was an eight year age difference between them.

Hollis nodded, offering him a shy smile. "That sounds nice," she whispered.

Staring down at her, Bill knew this won't be easy, but it would be worth it. "I need to run," he said, dropping his arms from around her.

Her face fell at his words, making Bill inwardly curse himself.

"I need to request a transfer to London," he told her, "unless you would be interested in transferring to a different magical school or home-schooling. I'm like us to be in the same country, if not the same hemisphere."

Her green eyes widened. "You would be willing to move for me?" she whispered, her voice heavy with emotions and tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.

Bill frowned. What he was supposed to do or say, right now? He didn't know what to do when women got emotional. "Of course," he replied. "We need to be close until the bond settles. And afterwards, I plan to stay close by."

She smiled, tears starting to stream down her face. "Really?" she asked, disbelief coloring her voice.

Reaching, Bill tried to brush a few tears away. "Yes," he whispered, "I've been waiting years for you. Now that I've found, I won't let you get away."

In response, Hollis threw her arms around him.

Bill sighed, still struggling to understand females and emotions. It didn't look like he would have the chance to leave before dinner. If he couldn't visit Gringotts Bank in person, then he would need to send a letter.

With some difficulty, Bill managed to corral Hollis upstairs to his bedroom. Once they were in his room, he left his door open ajar, and she detached herself in favor of looking around his bedroom. Bill watched her, shaking his head. He _really_ needed to learn how to deal with females and their emotions.

While Hollis made herself comfortable on his bed, Bill took out a sheet of parchment and he quickly penned a letter to his supervisors. It was likely he would be withdrawing from the new project in Cairo because he found his underage soulmate.

"You can use Hedwig, if you want," Hollis told him.

Frowning, Bill glanced over at her. Who was Hedwig?

She blushed. "My owl," she answered.

"Can you grab her for me?" Bill asked.

Hollis nodded, jumping off of his bed. She quickly left the bedroom, headed upstairs.

While she was gone, Bill finished writing his letter. Since he wouldn't be around for the new project, he suggested a few replacements and he requested updates.

"Do you want to remain in Cairo?" Hollis asked, appearing in the doorway with a snowy owl perched on her shoulder. "I can leave Hogwarts."

Bill offered her a small smile. "Your education is more important," he told her. He was touched she offered to leave Hogwarts and her friends for him, but he wasn't worth it. He didn't want Hollis to regret giving up Hogwarts once she realized what he a loser he was. Hogwarts was more important.

A frown formed on her lips and her green eyes narrowed as she continued to stand in the doorway. "You're worth it," she whispered. "Hogwarts isn't." She stepped into the room, walking towards him. "We're soulmates. That's the most important thing there is."

Stopping in front of Bill, Hollis reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're not a loser," she whispered, " _I_ am."

As he listened to her speak, Bill's eyes widened and a sense of panic filled him. _Can you hear me?_ , he thought.

"Of course, I can," Hollis replied, starting to sound uncertain. "Y-you are talking out loud, right?"

 _No_ , Bill thought.

In response her green eyes widened. _Oh shit!_ , her voice echoed in his mind.

He nodded.

The two of them stared at each other.

It was unusual for soulmates to develop strong connections. Some shared emotions or magic, but it was rare for a connection to develop this quickly. Usual it took _years_ for soulmates to develop telepathy. It was an uncommon gift.

"What do we do?" she asked.

At a loss, Bill shrugged. He had no clue.

Biting her lip, Hollis' green eyes met his. "I meant what I said," she told him, "about leaving Hogwarts. If you want to stay in Cairo, then I'll move. Your career is important."

Hearing someone say that filled Bill with warmth. He was used to people – his family, mainly – looking down on his career. No one seemed to understand it or his passion.

"I think you'll regret that," Bill said. "There's something amazing happening at Hogwarts this year."

His words made Hollis panic. "Like what?" she asked, her voice going high pitched and panicky.

"I can't say," Bill told her.

 _Then don't_ _ **say**_ _it_ , her voice echoed in his head.

They stared at each other for a moment before Bill understand what she was implying.

 _Hogwarts is hosting_ _The Triwizard Tournament_ , he thought with a smile. If only he was young enough to attend and compete.

"The what?" Hollis asked with a frown.

 _The Triwizard Tournament_ , Bill thought.

"Never heard for it," Hollis said, shaking her head.

 _The Triwizard Tournament is a magical competition held between three schools_ , Bill thought with a smile. _Each school is represented by one Champion. The Champions will compete in three Tasks, judged by the Headmasters. Each Task is designed to test magical abilities, intelligence, and courage._

Hollis nodded along. "I'm still not that interested," she told him with a shrug. "What's the prize?"

 _The honor and glory of winning, and money_ , was Bill's reply as he tried to understand his soulmate's lack of interest.

Shrugging, Hollis said, "I'll pass."

Her response made Bill confused.

"I'm already famous," she muttered, tapping the curse on her forehead, "and I don't need the money."

A sense of sorrow filled Bill as he moved to pull his soulmate into his arms. How could he forget about Hollis being the Girl-Who-Lived? She didn't need honor and glory. She couldn't benefit from the tournament.

"How are the Champions selected?" she asked, a hint of panic in her tone.

Bill frowned at her question. _The Goblet of Fire_ , he thought in reply.

"I think I would be more than happy to miss Hogwarts this year," Hollis told Bill, something serious in her tone. "I have bad luck. I think I might end up competing."

* * *

Count: ~1,500

* * *

 **This was written for**

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
314\. (Pairing) Bill/Harry

Build a Zoo Challenge  
Chimpanzee (Enclosure): (Setting) The Burrow

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
10\. Interest


	42. A Sweet Escape, Take Me Away

**Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Charlie Weasley/Holly Potter  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; female!Harry Potter (Holly Potter); and het  
 **Prompts** : (Pairing) Charlie/Harry; (Setting) Ministry of Magic; and (Word) Shock

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _041\. A Sweet Escape, Take Me Away_

It was dark when Charlie Weasley arrived to Number Twelve Grimmuald Place by the floo. Mindlessly, he walked from the drawing room down to the kitchen. It was late, and it was likely everyone was asleep. He wanted to grab something to eat before turning in himself.

Arriving into the kitchen, Charlie was surprised to see someone sitting on the counter. Holly Potter was seated cross-legged on the counter with a cup of tea in her hand and a book in her lap. She looked up when he entered.

"Hello, Charlie," she muttered before dropping her gaze down to her book.

He frowned. Last he checked, Holly was with her horrible muggle relatives. "When did you get here?" he asked. He stepped further into the kitchen, walking towards the fridge.

"A few hours ago," she replied, sounding bitter.

Charlie's frown deepened, turning to look at her. "What happened?" he asked. Something had to happen for the Order to bring Holly here early.

Her posture stiffened before she lifted her head. Her green eyes were narrowed as she met his blue eyes. "What have you heard?" she demanded, something hard in her tone.

The question threw him off as did the tone. This wasn't the Holly Potter he met last year. "Nothing," he replied with a yawn. "I just got in from Romania."

Her posture relaxed a little. She seemed to sink into herself. "I got expelled," she whispered, "for underage magic." Her eyes fell back onto her book.

Charlie's eyes widened as he studied the young woman. "What happened?" he asked, walking over to her side. With her seated on the counter, they were nearly the same height – though she was two inches taller.

"I got bored and craving attention," she muttered in reply.

While he didn't know her too well, Charlie knew that was a lie. Reaching out, he placed a finger under her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. "That's a load of hippogriff shit," he stated. "What happened? I _know_ something had to have happened for you to use magic."

Her eyes widened and relief filled them. "Me and my cousin were attacked by dementors," she whispered.

His eyes widened in shock. Out of all answers, he hadn't expected that.

"You believe me, don't you?" she whispered, something desperate in her voice.

"I do," Charlie told her.

"You're the first," she said.

Her statement made Charlie mad. How could no one else believe?

"What's going on?" he asked.

"The Ministry is trying me for underage magic and use of magic in front of a muggle," Holly answered.

Charlie nodded. He didn't know a lot about the law, but he had an idea on where to start. "You've already been expelled from Hogwarts?" he asked.

Holly nodded. "Dumbledore said he couldn't reverse it," she murmured.

"There are other magical schools," he reminded her. "How do you feel about Brazil?"

She frowned, looking confused.

"I have an idea," he told her, removing his finger from under her chin. He moved to cup her cheek.

"Tell me?" she requested, leaning into his touch.

"I was offered a promotion," he explained. "It's in Brazil. There's a dragon reservation in the Amazon rainforest, near Castelobruxo."

"What do I have to do?" Holly asked, leaning towards him. Her green eyes were wide. "I don't want to stay here."

There were a few opinions, but there was one that Charlie wanted the most. "Marry me," he answered, staring into her green eyes.

Her eyes widened a little and she bit her lip. "Do you love me?" she asked.

He shook his head. "But I will," he vowed.

"Promise?"

"I do."

 **...**

Over the next few days, Charlie and Holly spent time together. Mrs. Weasley had her children and Hermione cleaning various rooms around the house. She tried forcing Holly to assist, but the young woman refused. She spent her time with Charlie in the library or in her room.

"How can we marry?" Holly asked on the third day, tossing a book onto a table. "All the laws say I have to be sixteen."

Charlie frowned. "Or you have to be of age," he said.

"That's seventeen," she reminded him, her voice close to a whine.

A smirk crossed Charlie's lips. "Your trial," he began, "what are you charged as?"

Holly frowned, crossing her arms. "Underage magic and use of magic in front of muggles," she answered.

"I know what the charges are," Charlie told her, "but are you charged as a minor or an adult?"

"I-I don't remember," Holly replied. She turned, leaving the library.

Charlie placed his book on the table. If Holly was being tried as an adult, then she was considered "of age," which would allow them to marry.

"I'm charged as an adult," Holly announced as she returned to the library with a piece of parchment. She offered it to him.

Taking it, Charlie read the letter for himself. "Between this and the Tournament last year, I think we can agree that you're adult," he told her.

Green eyes widened as Holly smiled. She threw her arms around him. "Thank Merlin," she whispered.

Charlie wrapped his arms around her.

After a moment, he was removing himself from her arms. "I need to write Andersen," he told her, "and accept my promotion."

Holly took a step back, offering a small smile.

Before leaving the room, Charlie placed a quick peck to Holly' lips that left the young woman blushing.

 **...**

On the twelfth of August, Charlie and Holly left the safety and comfort of Number Twelve early in the morning. This was their last time in that house. In a matter of hours, they would be leaving the country.

Charlie apparated them to the visitor entrance where he used the pay phone to gain entry.

"Charlie Weasley and Holly Potter, here for a trial," he told the machine. A few seconds later, a pair of silver badges dropped from the phone.

Holly took her badge, eyeing _Holly Potter, here for a trial_ , before clipping it on her robe.

A moment later, the telephone box was lowering itself down, reminding Holly of a muggle elevator. When the telephone box was done moving, Charlie reached down and he took ahold of Holly' hand, lacing their fingers together.

After checking in with the security desk and registering their wands, Charlie led Holly up to the lifts, where they went to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Holly' letter was vague on the details. While Holly met with Improper Use of Magic Office, Charlie would get the paperwork for Holly' status as an adult in order.

"You'll do fine," Charlie whispered before placing a kiss to her forehead as they lingered outside the door marked _Improper Use of Magic Office_.

Holly gave him a tight smile before she turned to open the door. She glanced around the office. There were four people present in the room. They all looked over at her.

"Hi," she said, nervously looking at the people, "I got a letter about a trial–"

"Ah, Miss Potter!" a woman said. She was seated behind the largest desk in the office. "I've been expecting you, though you're not scheduled to be here for another two hours. I'm Mafalda Hopkirk."

Holly nodded, resisting the urge to fidget.

"Why don't you come take a seat," Hopkirk continued, motioning to a chair in front of her desk. "I'll have someone got retrieve Amelia." She gestured, and someone left the room.

Taking a deep breath to try and calm her nerves, Holly sat down in the offered seat.

A moment later, the door opened and two people stepped into the office. Holly' eyes settled on the redheaded woman dressed in blue robes.

"Miss Potter, Mrs. Hopkirk," the woman greeted.

"Amelia," Hopkirk greeted in response.

Holly glanced between the two women.

"Why don't we take this to my office?" Madam Bones suggested.

Without waiting for Hopkirk to say anything, Holly leapt her feet. She recognized that tone. It might have _sounded_ like a request or a suggest, but it was an order.

"Of course, Amelia," Hopkirk agreed with a fake smile.

Holly followed the two older witches out of the Improper Use of Magic Office and down the hallway to a door that said _Madam A. Bones, Head of DMLE_. Holly' eyes widened as she read the door.

Madam Bones opened the door and stepped inside with Hopkirk and Holly following a few steps behind. This office was decent size with a large desk that was overflowing with paperwork. Madam Bones was seated behind the desk with Hopkirk on her right. There was an empty chair in front of the desk.

"Take a seat, Miss Potter," Madam Bones ordered.

Holly quickly did as she was told.

"Do you know why you're here?" Madam Bones asked, leaning back in her chair.

"Because I used magic outside of school and in front of my cousin?" she asked.

The woman nodded, something hardening in her eyes. "Use of magic in front of muggles is a _very_ serious crime, Miss Potter," she said. "The Statue of Secrecy is our most scared law."

"But Dudley already knew about magic," Holly couldn't help but point out. Vernon and Petunia knew all about magic, and they never told her. She was told by Hagrid.

"Regardless," Madam Bones began, "you knowingly used magic in a muggle area in front of a muggle."

Holly bit the inside of her lip to keep from saying anything. She had a temper – inherited from her mum, according to Sirius – and Charlie warned her to be careful.

"–what do you have to say for yourself, Miss Potter?" Madam Bones demanded, crossing her arms. "Are you _so_ desperate for attention that you are willing to expose us all?"

"My cousin and I were attacked by dementors," Holly explained. "One of them was about to Kiss my cousin. I used magic to save us."

"There is no record of dementors leaving Azkaban, Miss Potter," Madam Bones stated, standing up from her chair. "Try another lie."

"I'm not lying," the young woman said, looking up to meet Madam Bones' eyes. "You're welcome to use Veritaserum or I can provide you with the memory."

"Neither of those options are acceptable, Miss Potter," Hopkirk said, speaking for the first time since they entered Madam Bones' office.

"Why not?" she demanded.

"We need a healer and a potions master to administer _any_ truth serum, and Veritaserum is too important to waste on you," Hopkirk answered. "We have no access to a pensieve in which to view your memories. In event we did possess a pensieve, it wouldn't be used in a mundane task such as this.

"We know you're guilty," the woman continued. "Just admit it and this will all be done with."

Holly said nothing as she glared at the woman. She wasn't going to admit to anything else. If she did, there was a chance they would take her wand and her memories.

Hopkirk signed. "Miss Potter," she said, with fake sympathy, "if you don't speak then you'll leave us with no other choice than to break your wand."

Feeling bold, Holly withdrew her wand and she tossed on Madam Bones' desk. "Take it," she told them. "I don't want it."

Her words stunned Madam Bones while Hopkirk scrambled to grab it. As Madam Bones turned to say something to her colleague, she found Hopkirk breaking the wand.

"If that's all," Holly said, standing up, "then I think I'll be leaving." She walked over to the door, only to be stopped.

"Just where do you think you're going, Miss Potter?" Hopkirk asked, glee in her tone. "As a minor, we'll be returning you to the custody of your legal guardians."

Placing her hand on the doorknock, she twisted it and opened the door. "I'm not a minor, I'm an adult," she told the two witches, "both the Ministry _and_ the ICW agree." She left the office without another word.

Once outside, she glanced up and down the hallway, looking for Charlie. She didn't see him. Holly walked towards the lifts, hoping to find him there. Rounding a corner, Holly spotted him near the Improper Use of Magic Office.

"We're all finished," she told him.

Charlie frowned as he reached out to take her hand. "What happened?" he asked.

Holly shrugged. "They snapped my wand," she replied.

His face darkened. "I'll get you a new one," he promised.

"Can it wait until we get to Brazil?" she asked, her voice low. "I don't want to stay here any longer than necessary."

* * *

Count: ~2,100

* * *

 **This was written for**

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
313\. (Pairing) Charlie/Harry

Build a Zoo Challenge  
(Enclosure) Rhinos: (Setting) Ministry of Magic

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
02\. Shock


	43. First Words

**Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Percy Weasley/Hedera Potter  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; female!Harry Potter (Hedera); and het  
 **Prompts** : (Setting) Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _042\. First Words_

Percy Weasley was fifteen when he met Hedera Potter. She was a short first with messy, dark hair and large glasses, dressed in large clothes. The first time they met, Percy didn't know who she was. All he saw was a little first year struggling with her trunk.

He had spotted her before at the entrance to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, looking lost and confused as she watched the muggles dashing around.

"Do you want any help?" Percy asked, surprising himself. While he took the responsibility as Prefect seriously, he wasn't one to be this helpful.

The first year looked at him with large green eyes. She nodded, offering him a small smile. The motion of her head movements made her glasses slip down. She quickly pushed them back up her nose.

Percy thought she looked adorable. He pulled his wand out, casting a wordless Levitation Charm to move her trunk to from the floor of the corridor to the overhead storage bin.

"Wow!" she said, watching with wide green eyes.

He chuckled at her reaction.

Turning, she smiled at him. "Thank you for help," she said.

Startled by her response, Percy found himself at a loss of words. He wasn't use to being thanked like this. His siblings demanded things and they didn't think of his assistance. "Y-you're welcome," he said.

"I'm Hedera," she said, offering hand.

Percy took ahold of her hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing her knuckles. "I'm Percy Weasley," he told her. "What's your last name?"

She blushed the second his lips touched her hand. "P-Potter," she whispered. "I'm Hedera Potter."

Upon hearing her full name, Percy fought the urge to check her forehead for her famous curse or saying something about her fame. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Heiress Potter," he decided to say.

Hedera frowned, titling her head to the side. "Call me Hedera," she requested.

Percy dropped her hand, watching her with a frown. "Do you know anything about your titles, Heiress Potter?" he asked.

Frowning, she nodded her head. "I'm the Girl-Who-Lived," she muttered, sounding unhappy. "I'm famous for surviving the night my parents were murdered."

Percy flinched at her phrasing. He hadn't thought about her fame that way before. While she survived the Killing Curse and defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, he hadn't stopped to consider the personal cost. "I'm sorry for your loss," he whispered. He couldn't begin to imagine what it would feel like to loss his parents – or any of his siblings. The very thought made his heart hurt.

He frowned. "You have other titles as well," he explained, "like Heiress Potter."

"What does that one mean?" she asked.

Mentally, Percy cursed whoever raised her and whoever introduced her to the Wizarding World. Hedera Potter was unprepared for her future as Lady Potter and Lady Black. That was something people would exploit the moment they learned.

Stepping into the compartment, Percy sat down before motioning for Hedera to join him. She took the next to him, staring up at him with large green eyes. Once she was seated, Percy pulled out his wand and he cast a few wordless privacy spells and charms.

Percy spent the next thirty minutes giving Hedera a crash course in Scared Houses, like the Blacks, and Noble Houses, like the Potters, and wizarding society. When the train started to move, Percy instructed her to read her History of Magic textbook before he left for his Prefect Meeting, with promises of returning.

* * *

Count: ~600

* * *

 **This was written for**

Build a Zoo Challenge  
Giraffe (Eclosure): (Setting) Platform Nine and Three-Quarters


	44. Secure

**Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : George Weasley/Hilda Potter  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; female!Harry Potter (Hilda); and het  
 **Prompts** : (Pairing) George/Harry; (Setting) Little Whinging; and (Word) Half

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _043\. Secure  
_

"Hello, Mr. Weasley," greeted the voice of Hilda Potter as he moved the fake fireplace.

"Hello, Hilda," Mr. Weasley greeted with a smile. He stood in front of his sons, blocking their views.

George Weasley barely paid any attention to the exchange between Hilda and his father as he tried to clean the soot and dirt off of his clothes as he followed Fred and Ron out of the fireplace. He was focused on a particular soot stain on his shirt as he walked into the living room of Hilda's muggle relatives' house.

"It's good to see you guys!" Hilda said, drawing his attention.

Brown eyes widened as he took in the sight of the young woman before him. This wasn't the Hilda Potter he remembered, having seen her a few weeks ago. That Hilda had short and messy dark hair, big glasses, and large hand-me-down clothes that cover her from neck to ankle. In her place was a stunning young woman with short hair, bright green eyes, and curves. She was dressed in a pair of yellow short shorts, a white tank top that showed her toned stomach, and a pair of black sandals.

His brown eyes met her green eyes. Her smile widened.

Turning, George smirked as he saw his little brother. Ron was staring with wide eyes and slack-jawed with his mouth hanging open. His eyes were fixed onto Hilda's chest, much to George's irritation. Didn't he know how to behave around a lady?

"Blimey, mate!" Ron exclaimed, finding his voice. "You're a girl!"

Hilda laughed, shaking her head.

George glared at his younger brother. Stalking forward, he cuffed him on the back of the head.

"Bloody hell, George!" Ron yelled, glaring at his brother as his hand came up to rub the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"You need to learn how to address a lady," Fred stated with a smirk as his eyes met his twin's.

George strolled forward, taking her right hand. "You're beautiful," he whispered, staring into her green eyes.

Hilda blushed, offering them a shy smile.

"They're correct," Mr. Weasley agreed, "you look well."

"Seriously, mate," Ron said, shaking his head, "what happened?"

Moving forward, Fred raised his hand and smacked Ron on the back of the head.

Laughing, Hilda answered, "I wanted to look more like my mum. I figured it was time for a change."

"Your truck ready?" Mr. Weasley asked.

She nodded, gesturing with her hand. It was next to the stairs.

"I'll grab it!" George said, quickly volunteering.

"Hilda, where are your relatives?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"They went out," Hilda replied with a small smile. "Aunt Petunia wanted to take Daisy shopping, and Uncle Vernon wanted to drive his new car."

George frowned, a little disappointed. He had wanted to give Hilda's fat cousin a piece of Ton-Tongue Toffee. Since the fat cousin wasn't available, Ron was their next victim.

As he walked over to his father with Hilda's trunk, George decided it was for the best that Hilda's fat cousin was out. He didn't want to risk getting her in trouble. His mind flashed back to the bars on her window.

"Thank you, George," Mr. Weasley said. Pulling out his wand, he quickly shrunk the trunk.

Hilda smiled, making George's heart skip a beat.

Turning to look at Fred, he found his twin brother was making a kissy face at him.

George scowled, walking over to his twin's side. "Stop it!" he hissed.

"You should go for it," Fred suggested, his voice soft.

"Go for what?" George asked, knowing perfectly well what his brother was talking about.

Fred smirked. "You should make a move on Hilda _before_ we return to Hogwarts," he told his brother. "If you don't, someone else will swoop in and take her for himself."

"Like who?" George demanded. He hated the thought of someone else being interested in Hilda – especially now that she had _developed_ into this stunning young lady. George had liked her since she was a scrawny twelve year wold, covered in blood, carrying a giant sword and rescuing Ginny.

Shrugging, Fred said, "We're catching a port-key with pretty boy Diggory. You know how girls _swoop_ over him."

George scowled. He didn't like Diggory, hadn't since he beat Hilda to the Snitch last year. He would _explode_ if Diggory got Hilda.

As Fred and George whispered to each other, Hilda picked up her trunk and their father lit a fire in the fireplace. The flames turned green, and he sent Ron through.

"Fred!" Mr. Weasley called, catching their attention.

Fred took a handful of floo powder and he stepped into the fireplace.

"Mr. Weasley, can you fix the fireplace before we go?" Hilda asked, gesturing to the living room. "I don't think the Dursleys would be too happy with me if they came home to this."

George found himself agreeing. He could only imagine how the Dursleys would react and it wasn't pleasant.

"Don't worry, Hilda," Mr. Weasley assure her with a smile, "I'll take care of everything."

Hilda took a handful of floo powder, eyeing the fireplace. She looked a little nervous.

A smile spread across George's lips as an idea formed in his mind. Reaching out, he placed a hand on Hilda's shoulder. "I think it would be safest if I accompanied you," he said. He remembered the last – and first – time she floo'ed, ending up in Knockturn Alley instead of Diagon Alley.

A blush formed Hilda's cheeks.

"I think Hilda can floo herself," Mr. Weasley said, "but it's her decision."

Hilda bit her lip, glancing between the fireplace and George. "Sure, it can't hurt," she said with a shrug.

George smiled. Walking forward, he took her handful of floo powder. He stepped into the fireplace before motioning for Hilda to join him. It was a tight fit with the two of them in there.

"Hold on tight," he told her, pulling her close.

Hilda wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her head underneath his chin.

Once he was sure Hilda was safely secure, he threw the floo powder down before calling out, "The Burrow."

* * *

Count: ~1,000

* * *

 **This was written for**

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
315\. (Pairing) George/Harry

Build a Zoo Challenge  
Hippo (Enclosure): (Setting) Little Whinging

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
08\. Half


	45. With Courage and Determination

**Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Relationship** : Friendship – Fay Dunbar and Susan Bones  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe  
 **Prompt** : (Character) Susan Bones in (AU) Different House

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _044\. With Courage and Determination_

Growing up, Susan Bones looked up to her Aunt Amelia. Amelia Bones was for a formidable woman. She was a powerful witch, known to be a quick and furious dueler, and she was a rising star within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic. By the age of twenty-six, Amelia was working as the Head Auror and she was on track to become the Head of the DMLE by thirty.

While her aunt was busy with work and her duties as Lady Bones, she made time for her charge and niece. Amelia and Susan were all that remained of the Bones family in England after the end of the Blood War with the defeat of Lord Voldemort.

Susan's parents, Markus and Isabelle, were murdered by Death Eaters a few days after the Dark Lord had led an attack on Bones Manor that killed her grandparents, her Uncle Edgar, and a few of her cousins and landed her Aunt Amelia in the hospital. Following that attack, Edgar's widow Laurene had packed up her remaining children and fled the country, cutting off all contact with the family.

On the day Susan was orphaned, Amelia had checked herself out of St. Mungo's, against the healer's advice, to take custody of Susan and take the mantle of Lady Bones. With Susan to care for, Amelia sold her small cottage in Manchester and she bought a small house Raven's Wood, a magical neighborhood in London.

There were times when Amelia failed to properly juggle her career, her duties, and Susan. Amelia was lucky to have a support system in the forms of her ex-partner, Alastor Moody, and her friends, Pandora Lovegood and Peony Dunbar. Between Moody taking some of her paperwork and office responsibilities and her friends helping with Susan, Amelia managed to balance her life.

When Susan was seven, she walked in on her aunt and Moody dueling. Amelia spent most of her days in the office, outside of the field. Moody helped her keep her skills and reflexes sharp. The young girl was amazed as she watched her aunt dodge and weave as she traded offensive attacks with Moody. Watching the pair, Susan couldn't imagine anyone being close to their league, but she knew that wasn't the case. While Aunt Amelia didn't talk about the Blood War, Moody was happy to share details about various stories.

It was Moody who caught her that night. He dismissed himself from the duel before seeking up on Susan.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Moody asked, his voice low and rough.

"I wanted to see Aunt Amelia," Susan replied, hugging her cat stuffed animal close to her chest.

"And why are you still up?" the auror asked.

Susan dropped her daze to her cat plushie as she shrugged. "I liked watching you," she muttered. "Auntie's _really_ strong."

Moody said nothing as he stared down at the little girl.

"Do you think she can teach me?" Susan asked, looking up to meet Moody's normal eye as the magical looked around.

"Why do you want to learn?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"To protect my auntie," the little girl answered with a smile. "She's protecting me, but I wanna protect her."

A look of fondness flashed in Moody's normal eye. It was quick. "Amelia Bones doesn't need protecting," he stated. "She's Head of our Department. People _fear_ her."

Susan shrugged. "She's not always going to be," she said. "Auntie's big and strong and brave. Just 'cause she can protect herself doesn't mean she doesn't need help."

Moody grinned, looking down at the young girl. This girl was smarter than some of his newest recruits. Those fools thought themselves – and the Ministry – as powerful and indestructible. That arrogance would lead to their own downfall and defeat. It was something Moody was working on beating out of them. "She won't teach you," he told Susan.

Susan frowned, her bottom lip quivering. "Why?" she asked, her tone whiny and childish. "I can help!"

"Amelia wants to protect you," Moody explained, trying to be gentle. "She doesn't want you to follow in her footsteps. She's wants better for you."

Her lip stopped quivering as she listened her to aunt's ex-partner. "Do I have t' listen?" she asked with a frown. Aunt Amelia taught her it was important to listen and follow directions, but there were times when adults were wrong and she needed to think for herself.

Moody's grin widened. "No, lass, you don't," he told her. "This is where you can make your own decisions."

She nodded, a look of determination filling her eyes. "Will _you_ teach me?" she asked.

"When you're older," he promised. "I can't train you until you've graduated from Hogwarts – without your aunt's permission."

Susan frowned. That was almost ten years away. She wanted to start _now_.

"Just because I can't train you doesn't mean you can't learn," Moody told her. "I'm sure you know how to read. The code to your library is switch, switch, flick, circle."

Her frown deepened as she stared at the strange man. He wasn't making any sense.

"Now, to bed, lass," Moody ordered, turning back towards her aunt. "If yer don't gone in a minute, I'll be telling Amelia."

As Moody walked away, Susan turned and scrambled off to her room. Moody's words continued to play in her head.

 **...**

It took Susan two weeks to figure out Moody's words. She realized it on an afternoon at Dunbar Landing, the house of Peony and Melvin Dunbar. Peony Dunbar, nee Greengrass, was a close friend of her Aunt Amelia's, dating back to their Hogwarts days. Peony had two daughters, Ivy and Fay. Ivy was three years older while Fay was Susan's age.

Susan and Fay were in Mrs. Dunbar's study working on their math assignments when Mrs. Dunbar entered the room. She smiled at the girls before pulling out her wand. The woman walked over a bookshelf where she waved her wand around in a pattern before grabbing a book off of her bookshelf. A moment later, she was leaving the study.

"What was that all about?" Susan asked with a frown, looking at her friend.

"Mum keeps her old textbook warded," Fay explained. "She doesn't want me or Ivy reading them before we're ready."

Turning her gaze to the bookshelf, Susan thought about her own house. Aunt Amelia had a small library at Boneyard, and she kept all her magical books there. Could Aunt Amelia's books be warded?

Susan's brown eyes widened as she remembered Moody's words. "Switch, switch, flick, circle," she muttered. Was that the wand movement for Aunt Amelia's warding?

Thinking, Susan decided she needed a way to test it. How? Aunt Amelia kept both of her wands on her.

"Why was your mum getting a book?" Susan asked. Surely Mrs. Dunbar remembered all the spells she learned at Hogwarts.

"Ivy got a legacy wand," Fay replied, jealous coloring her voice. "Mum is letting her read one book for an hour a day then they'll practice spells together."

Susan smiled. _That_ was a way to get a wand. She knew where Aunt Amelia kept the legacy wands. A legacy wands was the wand of an ancestor that was kept on hand to teach future generations the basics of magic and spellwork.

"We'll get our turn," Susan told her friend. Her mind occupied with planning. She needed to get a legacy wand.

 **...**

It took Susan another week to find a legacy wand that worked for her. Aunt Amelia kept them stored in a trunk in the attic. Susan had to act carefully when searching the trunk. She didn't want to attract Aunt Amelia's attention.

There were ten legacy wands. Susan grabbed one at a time. Since she didn't know how a wand would react, she would test the wand by waving it around and waiting to see if there were any results. On the ninth wand, Susan got a reaction. Sparks erupted from the tip.

Susan was amazed by the sight. With a smile, she placed the wand under her pillow. She would need to come up with a better hiding spot to ensure Aunt Amelia didn't discover it.

When Aunt Amelia headed to work early on Tuesday, Susan formed herself up and out of bed. This was the perfect chance to try her hand at breaking through her aunt's warding. Mrs. Dunbar or Mrs. Lovegood would come over to get her in a few hours, allowing Susan this valuable time.

Holding the wand, Susan entered the library. She walked passed the three bookshelf holding non-magical books. Taking a deep breath, Susan fingered the wand before moving in a switching motion followed by another switch then a flick and finishing with a circle.

Susan felt a small breeze. Did that mean the wards were down?

She bit her lip. This was the time to try. Reaching out, she grabbed a random book off of the shelf.

"Yes!" she shouted in celebration.

With a smile, she returned the book to their shelf. Running her finger along the spines, Susan carefully read each title. She wanted to start off with an easy book. After looking over the various titles, Susan decided on _The Standard Book of Spells, Year One_.

Susan took the textbook and the legacy wand up to her room. Sitting cross-legged on her bed, she opened the book to the first chapter. It was a boring and dry read, but Susan read each and every word. While she didn't know much about magic, she knew this was important. This chapter was about a person's magical core.

By the end of the chapter, Susan was left frowning. According to what she read, a child's magical core wasn't fully formed until the age of eight. It was important that a child didn't start practicing active magic until eight or they would risk damaging their magical core.

Crossing her arms, Susan glared at the textbook. This wasn't what she wanted to learn, but it was important. She turned eight until the tenth of December, which was _over_ six months away.

 **...**

When Susan turned eight, she rewarded herself by learning the Levitation Charm. It was the first charm in _The Standard Book of Spells, Year One_. It took a few days. Slowly, Susan worked her way through the entire book. She practice each spell again and again, until she had it mastered. Susan decided she had mastered a spell when she could perform the spell a few times before getting tired.

By April, Susan had moved on to _Magical Theory_. She made it through _Magical Theory_ rather quickly since there were only a few spells. After _Magical Theory_ , she picked up _The Dark Force: A Guide to Self-Protection_.

 **...**

On the first of September, Susan followed her Aunt Amelia through the floo system and onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Her eyes widened at the sight of the scarlet Hogwarts Express. Aunt Amelia led Susan to the heart of the platform.

"I'm so proud of you," Amelia told her niece with a smile. "I know your parents are as well. Remember how much we love you."

Susan smiled, feeling a little bitter. She always felt that way when her parents were mentioned. "Thanks, auntie," she said. "I love you, too." She wrapped her arms around her aunt, pulling the older woman into a hug.

"Does it matter what House I'm Sorted into?" Susan asked as they supported.

"It doesn't matter," Amelia replied, brushing some hair outside of her niece's face. "I will be proud no matter where you're Sorted."

Susan smiled. Her family had a history of being Sorted into Hufflepuff and Slytherin. She had a feeling she would be Sorted into Ravenclaw. She was passionate about learning and becoming better.

Susan spent half an hour on the platform with her aunt before she headed onto the train with her trunk and new kitten in tow. With some difficulty, she managed to tug her trunk up before towing it behind her as she walked through the corridor. She stopped every few feet to glance inside the compartments.

On the third train car, Susan found an empty compartment. With a smile, she tugged her trunk inside. She placed it on the bench before taking a seat across from it. As she tried to make herself comfortable, Susan placed Selene on the seat next to her and she took _A Beginner's Guide to Transfigurations_. She was halfway through the textbook. At the rate she was reading it, it should be finished by Halloween, but that was likely to change when Susan started attending classes.

A little later, the door to Susan's compartment opened and Fay stepped in.

"Morning, Su," she greeted with a smile.

"Morning, Fay," she returned, looking up from her textbook.

"Can we move your trunk?" Fay asked, motioning to it on the neighboring bench.

Susan marked her page before standing up.

Together, Susan and Fay moved the trunk up to the overhead storage bin. Once Susan's was stored, they moved Fay's.

"Thank you," Fay said, collapsing onto the bench.

Susan smiled at her friend's actions as she took her seat and picked up _A Beginner's Guide to Transfigurations_.

 **...**

Susan stood next to Fay and Neville Longbottom as they gathered around Professor McGonagall. The woman unrolled a long sheet of parchment as she picked up the Sorting Hat.

"When I call your name, come forward," she instructed. "Abbott, Hannah."

Susan perked up at the name of her old friend. She hadn't seen Hannah in three years since Aunt Amelia had a falling out with Camille Abbott.

McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on Hannah's head. A moment later, the Hat shouted "Hufflepuff!"

As Hannah took the Sorting Hat off, the Hufflepuff table applauded and cheered.

"Bones, Susan," Professor McGonagall.

Susan's brown eyes widened as she took a deep breath. Stepped forward, she took a seat on the stool before McGongall lowered the Sorting Hat onto her head.

 _"Interesting, very interesting,"_ a voice in her head said. _"Where to put you? You are most interesting."_

Susan's eyes widened as she fought the urge to fling the hat off.

 _"Why thank you, Young Miss Bones,"_ the Hat said. _"I hate when students react like that. It's a typical response from muggle-born students. They aren't too trusting of strange voices in their heads."_

Against her will, she smiled and giggled a little.

 _"Now, let's get on with this,"_ the Hat continued. _"You are an outstanding student, Miss Bones. You would do well in any House. You are ambition and driven for Slytherin. Your thrust for knowledge would make Ravenclaw proud. You're loyalty and determination is worthy of Hufflepuff while you would do well in Gryffindor with your bravery and power of will."_

As she listened, Susan's eyes widened. This was unexpected. She thought she would be suited for one or two Houses, not all four of them.

"I don't want Slytherin," Susan told the Sorting Hat. While plenty of nice people came from Slytherin, the House was filled with ambition people. "I like learning, but I don't want to be in Ravenclaw."

 _"That leaves Hufflepuff or Gryffindor,"_ the Sorting Hat said. _"You would do well in either House."_

Susan thought for a moment. She could join Hannah in Hufflepuff, which would allow them the chance to reconnect. The idea of Gryffindor was nice. Neville wanted to be Sorted there as did Fay. "Gryffindor," she decided.

 _"May you have the best of luck in GRYFFINDOR!"_ the Sorting Hat shouted.

 **...**

At the end of the night, Susan was unpacking her trunk in her new dorm room. Fay Dunbar was doing the same on her left while Hermione Granger was watching from her bed. As Susan and Fay worked, they talked with Hermione. While they had only met her a few hours ago, Susan knew they were going to be the best of friends.

* * *

Count: ~2,500

* * *

 **This was written for**

The Alphabet Challenge  
S: Susan Bones

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
101\. (Character) Amelia Bones

Build a Zoo Challenge  
Ponds (Snake): (Word) Kitten

Can You Make It to the End Challenge  
Round Five: Write about Susan Bones at Hogwarts, where she was Sorted into a different House.

Character Boot Camp: Character Diversity  
20\. Outstanding

Character Boot Camp: Character Trait  
13\. Trusting

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
05\. Fool

Character Boot Camp: Minor Character  
06\. Aunt

Climb to the Top of Mount Potter  
Prompt: (Emotion) Love

If You Dare Challenge  
287\. League


	46. Of Friends and Plans

**Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Relationship** : Friendship – Harry Potter and Fay Dunbar  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; and plotting  
 **Prompts** : (Setting) Hogwarts; (Word) Cute; (Word) Invite; (Word) Pricey; and (Word) Quixotic

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _045\. Friends and Plans_

Arabella Figg looked over her new house with a small smirk. While she had little desire to life in this house – which looked like every other house on Wisteria Walk – she was here for a few reasons, all centered around Harry Potter. Album Dumbledure might think he was a mastermind, but he wasn't. The man wanted someone close by to Privet Drive to keep an eye on little Harry Potter and muggle relatives the Dursleys. He was relentless in his pursuit and Arabella waited until he offered a pricey house before agreeing.

While Dumbledore had his own plans and ideas, Arabella had hers. Since Dumbledore would relay on her for updates and information regarding Harry, her plans would take priority. It was one of the reasons she waited so long in accepting Dumbledore's offer. She needed to plan everything with her nephew and his wife. Melvin and Peony were interested. They wanted to wait until their daughter was old enough to agree. Fay loved the idea of having a friend that was all her own – not one she had to share with her older sister.

Four years after Harry disappeared into the muggle world, Arabella moved into a small house on Wisteria Walk, a few blocks over from Privet Drive. Arabella hated this quixotic muggle neighborhood with all the identical houses and yards. She couldn't understand _why_ some muggles would dream of moving to this neighborhood.

A few months after moving into her little house, Arabella _finally_ had the chance to meet little Harry Potter when she took her great-niece to the park. Fay Dunbar was playing on the monkey-bars when Harry arrived. He was by himself.

"Fay," Arabella called to her great-niece.

The girl jumped down from the monkey-bars before rushing over to join her aunt.

As she ran over, Arabella smiled as she took a moment to admire how cute her great-niece was. Fay had head of dark blonde hair that was pulled back into a braid, large blue eyes, and dimples when she smiled. There was no doubt in her mind that Fay would make an excellent Lady Potter when she was older.

"Yes, auntie?" Fay asked when she stopped next to the woman.

"You should go talk to that boy over there," Arabella told her niece, motioning towards Harry who was sitting down in the sandbox.

Fay nodded, offering her aunt a toothy smile. She skipped over towards the sandbox.

Arabella watched from her seat on a bench as Fay approached Harry. They spoke for a minute before Harry shyly nodded and Fay jumped in next to him in the sandbox. The pair spent the afternoon playing. At five o'clock, Arabella walked over to collect her niece.

"Fay, darling, it's time to go home," she told her niece.

Fay nodded. "Auntie, this is my new friend, Harry," she said with a smile.

Arabella smiled. "Hello," she greeted. "I'm Arabella Figg."

"Hello, Mrs. Figg," Harry replied, offering her a small smile.

Arabella took a moment to glance around the park. There were a few other children and adults around, but she didn't see Harry's cousin or his aunt. "Where are your parents?" she asked.

Harry's face fell a little. "They're dead," he whispered.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "Who do you live with?" Taking a second, she noticed his clothes were a few sizes to big with stains and holes, and his glasses were held together with tape.

"My aunt and uncle and cousin," Harry replied, his voice a little quieter.

"Where are your aunt and uncle?" she asked, glancing around the park again. She had seen Petunia and Vernon Dursley around the neighborhood, but she had never _officially_ met either of them.

"At home," Harry answered. "It's Dudley's birthday and Aunt Petunia told me to leave."

Arabella frowned. Those Dursleys were sounding like horrible guardians. "What time are you due back?" she asked, concerned.

He shrugged. "When it's dark?"

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" she asked. It seemed like a good idea to invite him to dinner.

His green eyes lit up and he looked towards Fay, who was beaming.

 **...**

After that day in the park, Fay and Harry were the best of friends. Arabella had her great-niece over each weekend, and Harry would come over to play with her. The Dursleys were happy to send Harry over, enjoying the chance to take their own son to do something special. At first, Dudley was jealous Harry had a friend, but he was easily detracted. While his cousin only had _one friend_ , he had lots around the neighborhood like Piers and Peter and Samuel.

A few weeks into her friendship with Harry, Fay learned his last name. She saw the scar on his forehead and she knew the stories of the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry learned about magic and his parents from his best friend.

Arabella smirked as she enjoyed a cup of tea. This was all going according to plan. Melvin and Peony would be pleased with this development. She couldn't wait to tell them.

* * *

Count: ~900

* * *

 **This was written for**

Alternate Universe Challenge  
183\. Childhood Friends AU: An AU in which Arabella Figg has a magical great-niece who comes to visit, giving Harry a childhood friend who teaches him about magic and later becomes a romantic interest (in a smilar manner to Severus Snape and Lily Evans).

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
233\. (Genre) Friendship

Build a Zoo Challenge  
Orangutan (Mummy): (Character) Arabella Figg

Character Boot Camp: Character Diversity  
44\. Pricey

Character Boot Camp: Favorite Character  
01\. Invite

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
47\. Quixotic

Character Boot Camp: Minor Character  
49\. Cute


	47. Hearts Unbroken

**Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Main Pairing** : Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley  
 **Side Pairings** : Ginny Weasley/Fay Dunbar; Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger; and Harry Potter/Nymphadora Tonks  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; femslash; and mutual breakup  
 **Prompts** : (Pairing) Harry/Ginny; (Setting) The Three Broomsticks; (Theme) Break Up; (Word) Cabbage; (Word) End; (Word) Paltry; and (Word) Pancake

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _046\. Heart Unbroken_

Her heart leapt at the sight of Godric as the great horned owl landed in front of her. With unsteady and shaking hands, Ginny Weasley reached out and removed the letter from owl's leg. With the letter removed, Godric titled his head, staring at her. Clearly the owl was waiting for a reply. Next to her, she heard Fay Dunbar mutter something.

Turning to her friend, Ginny tried to offer her a reassuring smile. "It's fine," she said, the words feeling false as they left her mouth. "I'm sure it's nothing."

Fay's gray eyes narrowed. "I won't pry," she muttered, her voice sounding like a hiss, "but please don't lie to me – or yourself."

Without another word, the blonde grabbed her bag before fleeing the Gryffindor table. Taking long strides, she was exiting the doors and leaving the Great Hall.

Ginny watched her leave, biting her lip as she clutched the letter in her hands. When Fay was gone, she looked down at the letter. She recognized Harry's handwriting.

Pushing her pancakes aside, she turned her attention to the letter, opening it. Her brown eyes read over the words as she found herself biting her lip.

Harry wanted to meet up on her next Hogsmeade weekend, which was this Saturday, in three days. Pulling a quill out of her bag, Ginny wrote a quick reply.

 _Harry,_

 _The next Hogsmeade weekend is this Saturday. Please let Ron know. I'm sure Hermione would love a visit. She's driving everyone crazy with her NEWTs preparation._

 _I'll be waiting for you at the Three Broomsticks at eleven. There will be a butterbeer for you and a Hermione for my brother._

 _–Ginny_

As quickly as she could, Ginny tied the letter to Godric's leg before handing the owl a piece of bacon. She watched as he leapt off of the table and took flight, carrying that letter away.

Running a hand through her red hair, Ginny shook her head.

"It'll all work out," Demelza Robin told her, smiling at her teammate from across the table.

Ginny tried to return the younger girl's smile.

"The war changed everyone," her fellow Chaser continued to say, "and people grow apart. It's natural."

Ginny felt tears form in the corners of her eyes. It was nice hearing this from someone else, but the guilt continued to build in her stomach.

When the war ended with Harry defeated the Dark Lord back in May, he and Ginny started spending time together. It was nice, and it reminded her of their relationship the year before. As the weeks passed, Ginny noticed a tension in their relationship. She didn't think anything of it since they were still finding their way back together. Soon weeks turned into months, and Ginny was returning to Hogwarts while Harry enrolled in the Aurora Academy. That tension remained, and Ginny was left wondering where it came from.

With her return to Hogwarts, Ginny fell into a routine as a seventh year. It was nice being back, seeing familiar faces and writing dreadfully dull essays. As a seventh year, she had new classmates, a mixture of her own and the year above her, like Hermione Granger and Fay Dunbar and Neville Longbottom.

In those new people, Ginny formed a quick bond with Fay. Their friendship grew and it bloomed into _something_. Ginny found it difficulty _not_ to think of her new best friend. From the shared looks and the lingering touches, it was clear Ginny wasn't the only one who felt this way. Fay felt it to. Things came to ahead a few weeks ago when Fay kissed Ginny after the Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch game – which Gryffindor won.

Since that game, the pair remained close. They spent almost all their time together. They linked arms as they walked around the castle, they sat next to each other at every opportunity, and Fay would lean against Ginny on the couch in the common room. Since that first kiss, they hadn't kissed again.

Ginny was riddled with guilt following that kiss. Technically, she was still in a relationship with Harry. Although they hadn't seen each other in months and they hadn't exchanges letters in a fortnight – until today. Before beginning anything – taking the next step – with Fay, _Ginny_ needed to end her relationship with Harry. That was something she wasn't sure _how_ to do. Harry was a member of her family. He was Ron's best friend. He was such a sweet and caring and thoughtful young man – one any girl would be lucky to call her own. But their relationship was over, and Ginny needed to find a way to tell Harry. It was something that seemed cruel to do over owl, and they won't see each other in person until the winter holidays – this Saturday, according to Harry's letter.

Turning her attention back to her food, Ginny found she didn't have much of an appetite. Standing up, she shouldered her bag before heading to the library with plans to work on her Ancient Runes homework.

The day passed quickly for Ginny. Before she knew it, she was sitting down next to Hermione Granger at her dinner with an empty spot on her other side. Glancing down the table, Ginny felt a pang in her heart as she watched Fay Dunbar sitting with Parvati Patil and Sophia Roper.

"Harry wrote me today," Ginny told the older girl as she loaded her plate with chicken and roasted potatoes.

Hermione's eyes lit up. "What did he say?" she asked, placing a serving of steamed cabbage on her own plate and one on Ginny's.

The young girl's nose wrinkled in distaste at the green vegetable. She _hated_ cabbage. It was awful. "He was asking about the next Hogsmeade weekend," Ginny replied, poking at the cooked paltry. She didn't seem to have much of an appetite.

"It's this Saturday," Hermione stated, using her 'matter of fact' voice. "It would be–"

"I told Harry to meet us at the Three Broomsticks," Ginny said, interrupting the older girl. Dropping her fork, Ginny stood up. "Sorry, I'm not feeling well. I think I'm gonna head to bed early."

 **...**

Saturday couldn't come fast enough, but at the same time, it came too soon. Ginny spent the days – hours, minutes, seconds – leading up to Saturday filled with nerves as she struggled to find the right words. When she left the Three Broomsticks on Saturday, Ginny would be free and single, leaving her to pursue a relationship with Fay. The thought of dating Fay filled her with happiness, making her heart skip a beat just at the thought.

Sighing, Ginny cast a longing look at Fay's four-poster bed in their dorm room. The curtains were pulled close, and she needed to get moving if she was going to make it to the Three Broomsticks by eleven.

Ginny pulled her jacket on as she shoved her wand in the pocket of her jeans. Spinning on her heels, she exited the dorm room and took the stairs down to the common room. From the common room, she walked down to the entrance hall so she could take the path to Hogsmeade with several of her classmates.

A few minutes after ten, Ginny was entering the Three Broomsticks. She glanced around, looking for an empty table. There wasn't one to be found, but she had time to wait. Twenty minutes later, Ginny was zooming over to a booth in the back of the bar as the group of Hufflepuffs got up and headed to the exit. Pressing her back against the wall, she kicked her legs up onto the bench as she stretched out.

A waiter came over and took Ginny's order a few moments after she sat down. The redhead ordered four butterbeers and some cauldron cakes.

Hermione took a seat across from her as the waiter brought the butterbeers over. She shot an irritated look at Ginny's legs. "You need to move before Harry and Ron get her," she told the redhead.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "It's fine," she said, taking a sip of her butterbeer. "You and Ron won't be staying."

Hermione's eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth.

"I have plans with Harry," the redhead told her, trying to keep her voice firm and gentle, "and we don't want you around."

The bushy haired young woman sighed. "I don't know what to do with Ron," she muttered. "We haven't seen each other in months."

"Take him to Honeyduke's," Ginny suggested, "and go for a walk."

Nodding, Hermione's eyes narrowed as she began to think.

The pair sat in silence for three minutes. Ginny sipped her butterbeer as she glanced towards the door, waiting for Harry and Ron to enter.

"Are you excited to see Harry?" Hermione asked, eagerness in her tone.

Glancing at her, Ginny debated her answer. This was one of Harry's best friends and her brother's girlfriend. Hermione was more their friend than hers, and for that reason Ginny didn't trust her with the truth. Out of loyalty, Hermione would turn and tell them whatever she said.

"I'm nervous," Ginny answered, truthfully. "We haven't seen each other in a while."

Hermione nodded, a smile on her lips. "I know that feeling," she admitted. "I'm excited. I can't wait to see Ron. Writing just isn't the same."

Crossing her fingers, Ginny glanced over at the door, hoping to see Harry and Ron. She didn't need to listen to her brother's girlfriend wax poetry about him and share her plans. These were details Ginny did not want – let alone need.

She smiled at the sight of Ron Weasley unwrapping his scarlet and gold scarf as Harry Potter stepped in the pub behind him. It was a brief smile that disappeared the second she saw Harry. Her heartbeat increased at the sight of him.

Turning in her seat, Ginny placed her legs under the table as she grabbed a cauldron cake. Within a few minutes, Harry and Ron were taking seats at her table. Ron greeted Hermione with a kiss on the cheek and Harry gave Ginny at a small smile.

A conversation quickly formed as Ron sipped his butterbeer, telling Hermione about the classes at the Auror Academy with Harry adding bits here and there.

"Tonks is the best instructor _ever_!" added Ron with a smile. "Everyone loves her, right Harry?"

"Right," Harry agreed with an awkward smile, "she's great."

There was something about the exchange that caught Ginny's attention. Then there was the dark look Ron was sending Harry.

"How's Teddy?" Ginny asked, trying to change the subject.

Harry stared down at his butterbeer, tearing the lid with his left finger while Ron chugged his butterbeer.

Ginny exchanged questioning looks with Hermione.

"Ron, come on," Hermione said as she finished her butterbeer before standing up. "I was thinking we could go to Honeyduke's."

Ron quickly agreed as he followed his girlfriend.

Harry and Ginny found themselves left alone, sitting in an awkward silence.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny forced herself to say, "We need to talk."

For the first time in a few minutes, Harry looked up from his butterbeer bottle. "We do," he agreed.

"I care about you," Ginny began, looking down at the tabletop, "but I think we should break up."

"Really?" Harry said.

Ginny closed her eyes as she forced herself to nod. They needed to break up if she was going to pursue a relationship with Fay. She was bracing herself for Harry's reaction.

"That's good to hear!" Harry said, relief in his voice.

Her eyes snapped out in shock before she turned to look at him.

Harry was relaxed and smiling.

"Really?" she said, feeling dumbfounded.

His smile disappeared as he looked at her. "Yes," he answered, "we've grown apart and I-I fell in love with someone else."

Ginny felt a stab of irritation and betrayal at Harry's words. It was hard to hear he found someone else as well, but he deserved it. She found someone, and it was only fair that he did as well. To the best of her abilities, she tried to dismiss those feelings. "Did you cheat on me?" she asked, her voice coming out in a whispered.

Harry shook his head. "No, I couldn't do that," he said. "Everyone deserves better than that. You deserve the truth, and Nym deserves an honest relationship."

She nodded. "Who is she?" Ginny asked. "I found someone too. She's amazing."

Harry's eyes widened. "She?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You know her. It's Tonks. We got close, creating for Teddy and I got to know her at the academy."

Reaching out, Ginny placed her hand on top of his. "That's great," she told him, "you deserve to be happy."

"What about your woman?" he asked, taking a sip of his butterbeer.

"It's Fay Dunbar," she admitted with a blush.

Harry smiled.

The pair sat in silence, this one more comfortable than the last.

"Is it," Harry began, flushing a little. "Can I bring Nym and Teddy to Christmas at the Burrow?"

"Of course," Ginny answered, "after _you_ tell mum and dad we're no longer together."

Harry agreed with a small smile. "Just make sure you send your parents a letter," he said, "so your parents know it's mutually and you're not heartbroken."

They stayed in the booth talking for a few minutes before Ginny got up to leave.

"Good luck with Tonks," Ginny said, giving Harry a hug.

Turning, Ginny met the gray eyes of Fay.

The blonde's eyes were expressive as she looked at Ginny and her ex-boyfriend. Without a word, she turned and fled the pub.

At the sight of the blonde, Ginny pushed Harry away before sprinting towards the other girl. "Fay!" she called, running after her.

Ginny was pulling her jacket on as she ran out the door behind her best friend. She chased after her, following the blonde up to the Hogwarts grounds. She managed to catch the blonde near Hagrid's hut.

"Fay, stop!" she shouted, making the blonde freeze.

"Why?" Fay demanded, keeping her back towards Ginny. "So, you can break my heart?"

Taking a few steps forward, Ginny thought about her answer. "So, we can talk," she replied, "because I broke up with Harry for this amazing girl I know."

Fay tensed before turning to face Ginny. "You broke up?" she repeated.

Ginny nodded, taking a few more steps forward. "We did," she explained. "It turns out that we both met someone else."

A smile slowly formed on Fay's lips. "This girl of yours, how amazing is she?"

"The best," Ginny answered, reaching out to take Fay's hand.

* * *

Count: ~2,400

* * *

 **This was written for**

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
570\. (Title) Heart Unbroken

Build a Zoo Challenge  
(Enclosure) Tiger: (Setting) The Three Broomsticks

Can You Make It Until the End Challenge  
Round Six: Write a breakup fic about (Pairing) Harry/Ginny.

Character Boot Camp: Character Diversity  
39\. Cabbage

Character Boot Camp: Favorite Character  
07\. End

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
46\. Paltry

Character Boot Camp: Minor Character  
28\. Pancake


	48. A Bounquet of Flowers

**Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Neville Longbottom/Roslin Weasley  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het; and female!Ron Weasley (Roslin Weasley)  
 **Prompts** : (Character) Neville Longbottom; and (Word) Earth

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _047\. Bouquet of Flowers_

The first time he met Roslin Weasley, he was eleven years old and they climbed into the same boat on the Black Lake. Neville Longbottom was distracted, and he barely remembered paying any attention to her. He was nervous about the Sorting, school, magic, and trying to find Trevor. With _all those_ thoughts on his mind, it was miracle that he remembered _that much_ of the boat ride.

Of course, Neville could remember the moment he saw Hogwarts. That's a memory _everyone_ had and most reflected on fondly. It was an important moment in his life, but it wasn't _the_ most important.

Neville got a good look at Roslin Weasley after Professor McGonagall called for "Weasley, Roslin." At eleven, Roslin was tall with long limbs, long ginger hair, blue eyes, and a dusting of freckles across her nose. He remembered clapping and cheering with the rest of Gryffindor as she was Sorted into the same House as her older brothers.

His eyes widened when Roslin claimed the spot across from him, seating next to Harry Potter. The Welcoming Feast was spent listening to everyone talk around him and watching Roslin. There was something about the way her hair caught the candlelight that interested him. Watching her that night – and the rest of the year – with her smile and those freckles, Neville found himself drawn to her.

While he could barely speak to her, he knew they were friends. When they did speak, Neville would turn into a flushing, sweating, stuttering mess with a quick heartbeat. He was Harry Potter's best male friend with Roslin and Hermione Granger becoming his other best friends. Neville knew Roslin and Hermione were his friends when he received Christmas presents from them. Roslin sent him rose seeds and Hermione got him a book on Herbology while Harry gave him some Muggle plant seeds.

In the summer after their first year, Neville _really_ connected with Roslin. They exchanged letters a few times a week. Roslin wrote about her siblings and her endless chores. In response, Neville wrote about his overbearing grandmother, the loneliness he felt, and his days spent in the greenhouse with his hands in the soil.

Due to their letters, Neville felt confident when he reunited with his friends on the Hogwarts Express in September. He was able to speak with Roslin without stuttering. He turned red, but he wasn't a complete mess. When he felt overwhelmed, his eyes would drop to his hands and he would pick bits of earth and soil out from under his nails.

 **...**

When Neville heard about the Yule Ball, he knew who he wanted to ask. His eyes drifted over to Roslin, who was whispering with Hermione, after Professor McGonagall made the announcement. Next to Neville, Harry cursed.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking over at his best friend.

Harry shook his head. "I have to find a date," he replied, sounding lost and overwhelmed.

"Anyone come to mind?" Neville questioned, fighting the urge to look at Roslin. As Harry's best male friend, he knew Harry _though_ he had a crush on Cho Chang when he really liked Katie Bell, his teammate.

"Yes, no, I mean," Harry answered quickly before stopping. He shook his head. "I don't know. What about you, mate?"

Neville flushed. "There is someone," he admitted, glancing over in the direction of Roslin and Hermione.

Harry slapped his friend on the back. "You should go for it, mate!" he said, his tone encouraging.

Turning redder, Neville looked back at his friend. "I don't know," he muttered. "I don't know if she likes me, and I don't want to ruin our friendship."

A thoughtful look crossed Harry's face. "I can't offer you any answers," he told his friend, "but I think you should go for it. You've fancied Roslin for years."

Sighing, Neville looked back over at the ginger haired girl. As he looked at her, Roslin turned and their eyes met.

Roslin's eyes widened before she offered him a tentative smile.

Slowly, Neville returned her smile.

"You should ask her," he heard Harry say, "before someone else does."

Those words made his heart freeze. He didn't want anyone else to ask Roslin before he got the chance, and he didn't want Roslin to attend the ball with anyone but him.

When Professor McGonagall dismissed class, Neville carelessly scooped everything into his bag before leaving the room. He needed to ask Roslin to the Yule Ball, but he had a few things to grab first. There were only a few hours before dinner.

After leaving the Transfiguration classroom, Neville rushed up to the Gryffindor Tower and into his dorm room. He dropped his bag on the foot of his bed before opening his trunk. After a moment of rummaging inside, he found a golden ribbon. He looked at it for a moment before stuffing it in his pocket. This ribbon belonged to his mum, and it was one the few possessions of hers that he owned. On his way out of the dorm, Neville grabbed his dragon-hid gloves and his wand before rushing out of the castle and towards the student greenhouse.

As a talented Herbology student and one of Professor Sprout's favorites, he an entire section to himself and his plants. Looking over the assortment of plants and flowers, he pulled on his gloves and he got to work on assembling a bouquet of flowers. He started with red roses and whites before adding ambrosia and white carnations. After a moment, he got a few columbines and orange lilies. Over the next hour, Neville added several more plants – baby's breath, ivy, laurestine, magnolia, a few oak twigs, and some ylang-ylang vines. Neville studied the bouquet and glanced over the plants. Quickly, he added two more plants – vascaria and a few daffodils.

Deciding he had the correct flowers, Neville pulled off his gloves as he got to work on arranging the bouquet. It was larger than he planned, but it lovely and he hoped Roslin liked it. Using his wand, he placed a few Securing Charms before tying the golden ribbon around the large bouquet.

Neville spent a few minutes tending to his plants before he collected the large bouquet and he left the greenhouse. It was nearly dinner time, and Neville wanted to grab Roslin as soon as possible.

As if it were faith – most likely it was Harry and the Marauders' Map – Roslin was descending the stairs with Hermione and Harry. Harry – the traitor – gave Neville a wink as he held Hermione back.

Roslin's eyes widened when she spotted Neville.

"Roslin, will you accept this as a token of my of affection?" he asked, feeling a rush of courage. He held the bouquet out, offering it to her.

Slowly, Roslin smiled as she rushed out to take the bouquet. "Neville, it's beautiful," she whispered, fingering a few of the flowers. She looked over the bouquet with a calculating eye.

"Ros, will you accompany me to the Yule Ball?" Neville asked, taking a step forward.

Her head snapped up and her blue eyes were wide. She was frozen for a few seconds before she nodded. "I would like nothing more," she told him with a smile.

With his heart leaping in his chest, Neville returned the smile.

* * *

Count: ~1,200

* * *

 **This was written for**

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
385\. (Restriction) Neville has to be the main character in the story.

Build a Zoo Challenge  
Zebra (Little Boy): (Character) Neville Longbottom

Can You Make It to the End Challenge  
Round Eight: Write a fic about (Character) Neville Longbottom about an important event in their life. (One of three.)

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
01\. Earth

Disney Character Challenge/Competition  
Winnie-The-Pooh: Write a fic about Neville Longbottom.

* * *

 **Flowers  
** Ambrosia: Love  
Baby's breath: Purity of heart  
White carnation: Pure love  
Columbine: Faithfulness  
Daffodil: Return my affection?  
Ivy: Dependence  
Laurestine: A token  
Orange lily: Desire  
Magnolia: Love of nature  
Oak (leaves): Strength  
Red roses: True love  
White roses: Virtue  
Viscaria: Invitation to dance  
Ylang-Ylang: Never-ending love


	49. An Important Moment

**Fandom** : Harry Potter  
 **Pairing** : Ginny Weasley/Fay Dunbar  
 **Warnings** : alternate universe; het;  
 **Prompts** : (Character) Ginny Weasley; (Scenario) Meet the parents; (Setting) The Leaky Cauldron; (Word) Drum; (Word) Gather; (Word) Scary

* * *

 **To Love a Lion  
** _048\. An Important Moment_

When she stepped off the Hogwarts Express, Ginny Weasley didn't bother glancing around the platform for her parents or any of her siblings. She knew none of them were going to be there. Her parents were in France with Bill, Fleur, and Victoire for a few days, visiting Fleur's family while each of her older brothers had plans. Charlie was on the dragon preservation in Romania, Percy was with his new girlfriend, George was busy with the shop, and Ron was with Hermione in Australia.

Since her break up with Harry, Ginny wasn't sure what he was up to these days. Last she heard, he was living with Andromeda Tonks and taking care of his godson, Teddy Lupin.

"You all right?" Fay Dunbar asked, reaching out to lace their fingers together.

Turning, Ginny offered her girlfriend a smile. "Just thinking," she muttered.

Fay hummed, taking a few steps forward.

Ginny followed, smile still in place.

"I'm thinking we'll hit Diagon Alley, do some shopping, and meet my parents at the Cauldron," Fay suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Ginny replied, squeezing her girlfriend's hand. The thought of meeting Fay's parents was scary and imitating, but she was ready. This was the next big step in their relationship.

Smiling, Fay leaned over, pressing a kiss to her girlfriend's lips. "Let's go," she muttered.

The pair walked to the edge of the platform before apparating to Diagon Alley. Ginny smiled at the familiar sight of the alley. It was a welcome sight.

Fay laughed, reaching out to take Ginny's hand again. "Where should we start?" she asked.

"Gringotts," Ginny answered. She needed to withdraw some money before they could begin shopping.

With a skip in her step, Fay led the way to Gringotts. The afternoon passed quickly as they pair roamed the alley, purchasing a few last minute gifts and eating ice cream. As it neared dinnertime, Fay and Ginny headed to the Leaky Cauldron.

As they stepped inside, Ginny located Fay's parents. Mr. Dunbar had the same honey blonde hair while Mrs. Dunbar had the same cheekbones and gray eyes. If Ginny wasn't mistaken those were the Black family's signature gray eyes.

"Are you ready?" Fay asked, turning to look at her girlfriend. They stopped by the bar, across the pub from her parents.

Ginny nodded, unable to form words as she heard her heartbeat thumping in her ears, sounding like a drum. Her nerves were running on high as she fought to control her emotions and gather her courage.

Fay gently led her girlfriend to the table where Mr. and Mrs. Dunbar sat. "Mum, dad," she began with a smile, "this is my girlfriend, Ginny Weasley."

* * *

Count: ~450

* * *

 **This was written for**

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge  
422\. (Scenario) Meeting your parnter's parents for the first time.

Build a Zoo Challenge  
(Enclosure) Panda: (Setting) The Leaky Cauldron

Can You Make It Until the End Challenge  
Round Eight: Write a fic about (Character) Ginny Weasley about an important event in their life. (Three of three.)

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House  
12\. Drum

Character Boot Camp: Minor Character  
03\. Scary

Pairing Boot Camp: Slash/Femslash  
31\. Gather


End file.
